XMen: The Unproduced Script 1
by CrossoverxToxThexDarkxSide
Summary: I found 3 unproduced scripts for X1. They have a lot that didn't make it in the final movie, but I think they're better in their own little ways. This is #1. I'm taking no credit, just turning the scripts into Story format which is easier to read. Review!
1. Meet Logan

**X-Men Script 1.**

**I'm taking the unused X-Men Script from**

**dailyscript. com/ scripts/ x-men_walker3 .html**

**There are 2 others, so keep an eye out for when I post them! I'm turning them from Script to Story Format. I give all credit to the awesome writers. I wish they would have used more of these scripts!**

X-MEN

Screenplay by

Andrew Kevin Walker

FIRST DRAFT

2nd revision June 7, 1994

On a city street at night, a billboard atop one building reads, "MUTANTS MUST REGISTER."

Hollywood Boulevard sidewalks are filled with weirdos, tourists and movie-goers. People stop to watch as a van with megaphones on its roof drives by slowly.

"…deadline for mutant registration is August fourth. All mutants must file for identification papers by this date..." A voice declares through the megaphones on top the van.

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA**

People are uneasy. Following the megaphone van as it makes its way down the street, its still announcing. It stops at a red light. A National Guard troop truck races through the intersection in front of the van.

Somewhere else, on a dark, back street, a few men run towards a commotion ahead. The troop truck rounds a corner and passes them, with its horns blaring.

The truck till it arrives at a parking lot behind brick apartment buildings. A rowdy crowd of curious civilians part to let the truck through, then regroups, watching the mysterious on goings. National Guardsmen leap from the truck, heading to the far corner of the lot to join other soldiers there. Military Men have surrounded a group of homeless people. Four of the homeless are against a wall, held at gunpoint. It's the fifth homeless person a fearful military Commander is concerned with, coming to shove him roughly.

"Turn around and face the wall. Do it! Keep your arms down!" The Commander orders.

The scruffy Fifth Man, in a tattered raincoat, looking just as frightened, obediently turns his back to the guns leveled at him. Commander approaches, cautious, reaching to the raincoat...He pulls the raincoat down. The Fifth Man is shirtless and dirty. He has four arms. Muscular arms. The other homeless men react in fear, moving away. The crowd begins shouting and calling out for Guardsmen.

"Kill him!"

"Shoot the mutie!"

"Freak!"

And others.

Soldiers holding the crowd at bay tighten their ranks. A National Guardsman steps forward with a camera and a high-powered flash. He takes pictures of the mutated Fifth Man.

At the edge of the lot, away from the crowd, a well dressed man stands watching, his face tense with anger. His hair is pure white. His manner refined and stately. He is known to many as Magneto, less as Erik. Magneto turns and walks away, into a narrow, dark alleyway.

**METROPOLITAN SKYLINE – NIGHT**

A glittering cityscape. In one sleek skyscraper, in a penthouse window, a man, Logan, in a black suit, looks out.

**TORONTO, CANADA**

**SKYSCRAPER OFFICE, RECEPTION AREA - NIGHT**

Logan has an animalistic look to him, complimented by thick black sideburns and spiked hair. He studies the city, lights a cigar.

"Mister Logan..." A male voice asks.

Logan looks to the snotty receptionist at her desk and blows a smoke ring. "This is a non-smoking building." The annoying receptionist says.

"Not anymore, bub. Unless you're thinking of trying to take this away from me." Logan says, with a slight growl. The receptionist shrinks. Big doors open. A man known as Perkins enters, suave.

"Mister Logan. Follow me." He says.

** BOSS MAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT**

Perkins enters, followed by Logan, who carries a briefcase.

Across the room, Boss Man sits behind a desk, flanked by EIGHT thug-brutebody guards. Boss Man wears a garish wrestling mask.

"Stay where you are." Boss Man orders.

"Whatever you say. Nice mask." Logan replies, not worried.

"You have no need to see my face. By insisting on meeting me, you've created a atmosphere of mistrust. However, the customer is always right... especially when he has a suitcase full of cash. Will you do the honors, Perkins?"

Perkins goes to take a short, black metallic rod off a bookshelf.

He flicks a switch on it. It hums to life. Logan eyes the device.

"Now, hold on a second. What's that?" Logan asks.

"A metal-detector." Boss Man replies.

"Yeah? What happened to a good, old fashioned frisking?" Logan asks, with a chuckle.

"This is less offensive to most, and more effective. What seems to be the problem?"

Logan looks unhappy. His tie tack has a tiny, waffled microphone hole.

**TORONTO STREET - NIGHT**

A large, innocuous van is parked at the curb. Through a speaker, we hear Boss Man asking, "You wouldn't have been foolish enough to bring a weapon here. You wouldn't..."

Inside the van, many agents are surrounded by recording devices and speakers.

The team's Monitor Man listens through headphones:

"... insult me like that, would you?" Boss Man finishes.

Monitor Man looks up to several armored agents, ready to go.

"Things just went sour." He says to the group around him.

**BOSS MAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT**

Logan, in a no-win situation, resides himself, holds up his hands.

"Knock yourself out." He says. Perkins brings the metal-detector under Logan's arm. It lets out a loud squeal..Boss Man stands, angry, points a gun at Logan.

"Disarm the gentleman, Perkins."

"There's... there's nothing here." Perkins says, finding nothing.

"There must be. Find the gun."

The detector gives a loud squeal all over Logan. Even his head triggers it. Perkins is baffled. Logan smiles, shrugs and kicks Perkins, and slams him aside and charges at Boss Man. Boss Man fires his gun. Logan hits the floor and rolls. He tries to get up, but is wracked by a spasm of pain. He cringes, his eyes shut tight...

**FLASHBACK - LOGAN'S MEMORY - P.O.V. FROM UNDERWATER**

Through a tangle of wires and tubes. Like looking from inside an aquarium to the outside world. Some sort of figure in a lab coat passes, their image warped and made unrecognizable by the water and glass. Logan opens his eyes, gasps, disoriented. Perkins pounds him across the forehead with the metal-detector that knocks him out. Across the room, Boss Man pushes a button on his desk. A bookshelf slides up behind him, revealing a hidden passageway.

**TORONTO STREET - NIGHT**

Four armored Strike-Force Agents run from the innocuous van.

**CHEMICAL WEAPON TEST LAB - NIGHT**

Bodyguards carry Logan's body into a futuristic lab. There's a gleaming gas chamber ahead. Logan's body is thrown in. The chamber door is slammed and sealed shut. Logan lies groggy. The gash on his head, from Perkins' blow is already beginning to heal. Boss Man, Perkins and bodyguards look in from outside the chamber through the ultra-thick window as Logan comes to his senses.

"The chemical weapon you came here to purchase is called Bio-thrax, Mister Logan. Within minutes of contacting human flesh it causes blistering ulcers."

Logan gets to his knees.

"But, that's nothing compared to what it does to your lungs. Please accept thisfree sample with my compliments."

Boss Man snaps his fingers. Perkins pulls a lever.

Clouds of gas begin hissing into the chamber. Boss Man laughs.

Through the window, Logan looks up, furious, lifts his fists.

Just before Logan is enshrouded by the gas…

**SNICKT!**

Three 9 inch metal claws shoot out from the backs of his hands.

"What... what was that?" Boss Man asks, stunned.

"Looked like... some sort of knives." Perkins replied.

**SLUNKT!**

Logan's metal claws jab through the glass. Boss Man and the others back away.

**SKRRREEEEKKK!**

Logan's claws cut the glass with ease, and then withdraw.

**SKKRRRENK! SKKKKKREEEEEK!**

The claws slash quick and make a triangular pattern. The triangle is kicked out.

"Don't just stand there. Get him!" Boss Man yells out. Bodyguards, guns out, keep back to avoid the escaping gas which rises to the ceiling. Then, Logan leaps straight out of the gas cloud. He tackles one bodyguard to the floor, crazed, face covered ingas-induced blisters, raising a clawed fist, about to kill...

**INNOCUOUS VAN - NIGHT**

Monitor Man hears a scream and gunshots through his headphones.

Monitor Man reacts, throws the headphones off. More screams are heard.

It sounds like bodyguards are battling a snarling, murderous beast.

"Here we go again." He sighed, and sends the agents in.

**RECEPTION AREA - NIGHT**

The four Strike-Force Agents cross from the elevator, guns up, past the flustered, lame Receptionist, towards offices. "

Um... do you have an appointment?" She says before fainting.

**BOSS MAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT**

The door is kicked in. Strike-Force Agents enter. Across the room, the bookshelf slides up. Strike-Force Agents level their guns, tense, waiting. After a moment, Logan walks in, disheveled, less blistered, his suit shredded and spotted with blood. He looks around calmly, straightening his tie. "I hope you brought a mop."


	2. Meet Blob

**CIRCUS BIG TOP TENT - NIGHT**

Under hot spotlights, a ringmaster speaks into a microphone. A large banner behind him reads "FREAK SHOW" in big, red letters.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls... nothing you have experienced in your lifetime has prepared you for this evening's entertainment. He will delight you. He will shock you. He will make your hair stand on end. And, so, without further ado, the Malkin Brother's Traveling Circus is proud to present...BLOB!" The Ringmaster announces into a microphone. The music blares. Spotlights spin, and then converge on... BLOB. Wow. Mountainously obese is an understatement. He is 500 pounds of sweat-dewy flab in a Speedo bathing suit. The crowd is awed.

"Yes, friends, yes... here he is. Let your eyes try to take him all in. Blob is bored and irritable, but dutifully raises his arms like a champion." The Ringmaster continues.

He walks, flesh quivering, looking to the crowd. Children laugh at Blob in the crowd. Many a pretty women is repulsed. In the center ring, the sights make Blob angry. He stops in front of a cinderblock wall with a bull's eye painted on it.

"No scale can tell his true weight. No lone tape measure can accurately reveal his girth. But, that is not all. Blob is much more than a man with a severe glandular problem. Much more indeed... " The Ringmaster continues to draw attention to The Blob as the drum roll starts.

Spotlights reveal 15 cowboys with rifles in a semi-circle. Against the bull's eye wall, Blob holds his arms away from his body. The crowd murmurs excitedly.

Cowboys cock their rifles.

"Rifles ready... Aim..." The rifles target Blob. Blob closes his eyes.

"FIRE!" He yells, and rifles crack and pop, echoing. Clouds of rifle smoke immediately obscure Blob. Screams are heard from the crowd.

"Watch very carefully, ladies and gentlemen. Behold the behemoth!"

Blob walks back into view, arms still up. There are many indentations in his flesh. Blob takes a breath... flexes his body. Bullets pop out from the indentations, all directions: POP... POP POP POP... POP... The crowd arrupts, applauding the strange creature. Ringmaster comes to stand beside Blob, soaking in acclaim, but perturbed with Blob.

"Don't just stand there, idiot. Take a bow. Give them a smile. They love you!"

At the back, of the crowd Pale man and Tan Man, in sunglasses, share a mutual box of popcorn, watching impassively.

BLOB'S DRESSING - NIGHT

Blob, in a big robe, is seated before the remains of an enormous, glutton's delight meal. He jams food into his maw, eating everything, turkey, corn and mashed potatoes alike, with his hands. Grumbling to himself, he says "Give them a smile, Blob... they love you, Blob. They don't love me." Blob stands, wiping his mouth with his sleeve and letting out a bellowing BURP. He walks towards a giant canvas bathtub. A huge bubble bath. He clips a clothespin to his nose as he disrobes.

"Okay, okay... relax. It's your special time now. Time to pamper yourself. Time to treat yourself like a little princess."

He awkwardly hops into the tub, displacing much water, letting out an "ah" of pleasure. He submerges. Blob holds his breath and rests his head, eyes closed.

Unbeknownst to Blob, designer shoes traverse the wet floor. Pale Man and Tan Man have entered. Pale Man takes a switchblade out, cuts a slash in the side of the canvas tub. Water gushes out, leaving Blob high and dry, covered in bubble. After a moment, Blob realizes and instinctively covers his breasts. "

Hey... what the hell's going on?"

"Bath-time's over, fat boy." Pale Man says.

"You don't want to wrinkle." Tan Man replies.

Pale Man throws Blob his robe. Blob puts it on and takes the clothespin off his nose, flustered and getting angry.

"Who... who are you guys?" Blob asks nervously.

"We're with the government." Tan Man says as he flashes his ID. "We caught your

act tonight. You're quite the performer." Tan Man sits down across the room.

"The Mutant Registration Act was enacted by Congress several months ago, Mister Blob. Now, are you thinking you can simply ignore the laws of these good United States, or do you only obey those certain laws that please you?" Pale Man says, angered.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but this is my private dressing area... "

Pale Man backs off. Tan Man vainly examines his fingernails.

"Let me explain something, doughboy. You have unnatural powers. You are a mutant and a danger to society. So, we normal folks need to know "who," "what," and "where" you are at all times." Pale Man says, while on the canvas wall, a huge shadow rises outside.

Blob sees the shadow, not understanding, as... the shadow of a clawed hand reaches to the canvas, ripping... Across the room, Tan Man looks up, horrified by what he sees. Pale Man flies past, slides across the food table and his the floor, unconscious. Tan Man jumps up, reaches to his holster. Saberetooth enters through the ripped canvas, a massive man with blonde hair, bushy sideburns and white eyes with no pupils or irises. He wears a fine suit and smiles a fanged smile. Tan Man brings his gun up, points it. But, behind Sabretooth another figure leaps, springing high - a somersaulting blur. Tan Man follows with his gun, above, trying to aim. The figure lands. It is Toad, an ugly, hunched man in a bad suit, crouched, long-legged, grinning from under greasy hair.

"Hello." Toad smiles evilly.

Tan Man fires. The bullet misses as Toad springs up, agile. Toad lands in a crouch on Blob's dressing table. Tan Man points his gun to follow, but his eyes widen. Behind Toad, in the dressing mirror, Sabretooth closes in. Tan Man cries out, turning. Too late. Sabretooth is on him... Toad leaps away as Tan Man is tossed head-long into the mirror. The mirror shatters into a million pieces, and Tan Man falls back, out cold. Toad lands beside the rather bewildered Blob.

"The name's Mortise Toynbee. Pleased to meet you. You really don't look like much of a menace to society."

"Give him time." Sabretooth says as he crouches over Pale Man, about to claw his throat.

"No, Sabretooth. Let them live to tell others that the Brotherhood was here." The owner of the voice, Magneto, comes through the tent's proper entrance. Sabretooth, still poised to rend, growls gutturally.

"If you treasure your own life." Sabretooth reluctantly relents. Magneto motions for Sabretooth and Toad to leave, and they obey, exiting. Blob is wary.

"No reason for you to be frightened, Blob." Magneto says, turning his head to look at Blob.

"I'm not frightened. And, I could've taken care of those fellows all by myself." Blob looks at Pale Man and Tan Man. "What did they want from me, anyway?"

"What everyone wants... to look upon you and rationalize their own existences. But, the hour has come for you to stop accepting the label of freak. You are not a freak. You are the next step in homo-superior evolution. Homo-superior." Magneto puts his hand on Blob's shoulder. Blob's shy about this.

"Would like to stop being hurt by humans, and instead be the one who does the hurting for a change? Would you like that, my handsome friend?"

"Yeah... yeah, I'd like that a lot."**  
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	3. BrotherHood VS XMen

**RIKER'S ISLAND - NIGHT **

A souped-up armored car speeds along the lone road leading to a concrete bunker of a building.

**THE VAULT: SUBTERRANEAN PRISON FOR CRIMINAL MUTANTS**

**RIKER'S ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY**

Extremely tall perimeter walls are topped by razor wire and two guard towers. A big steel door in the perimeter wall opens to allow the armored car's entrance to a concrete courtyard. Ahead, the massive doors of The Vault itself slide open, revealing a huge elevator rising from below the ground. Seven prison guards exit the elevator with the Warden, followed by a large yellow forlift. Guards take positions. The Driver exits the armored car and walks to open the rear doors. The forklift goes to work, lifting a pallet from the truck. On the pallet, unconscious, is the mega-mutant Juggernaut, in a uniform of thick metal, with wicked brass knuckles and a round- topped helmet (all encompassing except for eye and mouth slots). The helmet is riveted to his chest armor.

"Why's he still wearing his metal skivvies?" Warden asks, surprised.

"Couldn't get it off. They tried. They can't even figure out what it's made of." Driver responses.

"Well, we'll get it off, believe me. I don't care if we have to use dynamite." Warden says, and motioned Driver to follow. They follow the forklift as it labors towards the elevator.

"How can you hold him, anyway? I mean, I hear once he's moving, nothing stops him." Driver asks, curious.

"Is he moving now?" Warden replies.

"No... but, he's all drugged up."

"And, that's pretty much how he's going to spend the next twenty years."

"Hie-de-hie-de-ho! Lookie, lookie..." Warden and Driver look to the sound of the voice. It's Sabretooth. He's up on the perimeter wall, near a guard tower, dangling an unconscious guard.

"Drop your guns, screw-heads. Or, Humpty Dumpty here will have a great fall." He says, dangling the guard over the side of the wall.

Several guards point their weapons. Warden waves them off.

"Hold your fire. Hold on... " Warden turns to see the mutant BLOB waddling through the open perimeter gate, then turns to look to the other guard tower... Toad is seated up there. He grins and waves.

**THE VAULT, CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT**

Several security monitors show Sabretooth. Technician stands, terrified. Security Chief is near, talking with a guard.

"Sir, sir... we've got trouble upstairs. " Technician says, terrified at the prospect.

Security Chief comes over, looks. His face says everything. He grabs a phone and dials someone.

"I need men up here, right now!" Secuirty Chief says into the phone.

**THE VAULT – NIGHT**

Toad helps Blob herd everyone into the rear of the armored car.

"Move it... squeeze in. Plenty of roam." Blob pushes the last guard in as Toad closes and locks the doors. Blob then goes to the front bumper and lifts the truck with a grunt, till it's propped up on its rear, nose-up with the men trapped inside.

Sabretooth tosses the unconscious guard into the tower, then slides down the wall, slowing his fall by dragging his claws. The villains converge around the forklift. Toad leaps onto Juggernaut's chest, takes out a metal-canister and opens it.

"Pure adrenaline." Toad pulls a large hypodermic needle from his shirt. He presses the long needle against Juggernaut's arm, but the needle, unable to pierce his skin, snaps.

"I was afraid of that."

"Nice going, Toad. Now what do we do?" Sabertooth asks, seeing how things went downhill quickly. Behind them, the perimeter wall door closes.

In front of them, The Vault's elevator doors slam shut.

"Uh oh." Blobs says, worried.

Toad leaps down, goes to look under the forklift's seat. He pulls out a tool box, dumps the contents and picks up jumper cables.

"I've had a spectacular brainstorm."

**THE VAULT'S ELEVATOR - NIGHT**

The elevator doors open to the Central Control Room. Fifthteen guards rush into the elevator as the Security Head barks orders.

**THE VAULT - NIGHT**

Jumper cable jaws are clamped to forklift's battery terminals. Toad clamps the other cable ends to Juggernaut's thumbs, then looks to Sabretooth, who's behind the forklift's wheel.

"Let her rip. "

Sabretooth turns the key. The engine roars to life.

Electricity shoots through Juggernaut. His body spasms. Not far away, Blob forces open the elevator doors and looks down. The elevator is slowly rising. Blob's worried. He shoves his hand into the NUMERICAL KEYPAD beside the doors, yanks out the sparking guts.

**THE VAULT'S ELEVATOR - NIGHT**

The elevator halts. The guards look up. Lights go out.

**THE VAULT - NIGHT**

Blob looks down the shaft, pleased, laughing excitedly.

Sabretooth keeps revving the engine as Juggernaut convulses violently.

"If this doesn't wake him up, nothing will." Toad says as he watches.

Behind them, the perimeter wall door explodes, pushed by some force off it's hinges and falls with loud BOOM.

Toad, Sabretooth and Blob turn to look... The X-MEN (in armored battle gear) enter with Cyclops leading the way. He's handsome, lean muscled, and his eyes hidden behind a visor with a horizontal ruby red slit across it. Behind him is the stunning Jean Grey, and Beast, who is surprisingly attractive for a knuckle walker covered head to toe in blue fur. Hovering above, flapping his vast, white feathered wings, is Angel, the youngest X-Men. Iceman brings up the rear. His name says it all. Composed of rough-hewn ice, when he moves you can hear his limbs crackling.

"Knock, knock! Who's there?" Cyclops asks.

"X-Men!" The trio says.

"That's right." Cyclops says as Sabretooth runs at him. Jean Grey rises into the air. Cyclops shoots a concentrated red beam of energy from his visor slit. The ray blasts Sabretooth back, into the forklift. He's hurt. Blob looks with shock to the stunned Sabretooth, then runs towards the X-Men, angry, while Toad runs and leaps another direction.

"You hurt my friend!" Blob yells as he rushes the X-Men. Toad lands on the armored car. Angel and Jean Grey come to hover above him. Toad tears the metal front-bumper off the truck and swings it, keeping them at bay, hissing angrily. Blob charges towards Cyclops, Beast and Iceman. Iceman steps up and holds out his arms, and giant balls of ice energy fly from his hands The ice balls bounce harmlessly off the thundering Blob's flab

"Who is this guy?" Iceman yells, stunned.

Cyclops lets out a visor blast, but it does not slow Blob one bit.

"Scatter!" Cyclops yells as the group jumps out of the way. Blob lunges as Cyclops and Iceman split up - but Beast falls backwards and kicks with both legs just as Blob arrives, adding to Blob's momentum, sending him past, flipping and screaming... Blob lands flat on his back with a huge THUD.

Across the courtyard, Angel and Jean still hover around Toad.

"Give it up, Toad." Angel says, very cocky.

"We don't want to have to hurt you." Jean says, raising her hands up.

"How's a girl like you going to hurt me?" Toad answers then flings the bumper, missing Jean. Angel swoops from behind. Toad jumps straight up and Angel grasps empty air, coming up behind Toad. Toad lands. Angel spins in the air, looking back. Toad turns, opens his mouth and squirts spittle from his tongue. The black spittle covers Angel's face. He cries out, flying up.

"Angel!" Jean yells. Toad leaps at Jean, but she projects a blast of Psionic energy knock him down. Toad crashes through the armored car windshield.

"That's how." She says as she looks up, rising to follow after Angel.

Cyclops, Beast and Iceman circle Blob, who gets to his feet.

"You should have stayed down." Cyclops says, as the 3 men surround Blob.

"I don't think so." Blob says, confidently. Beast leaps from one side, but Blob backhand swats him away.

Iceman jumps up behind Blob, wraps his arms around his throat.

"Bobby, no!" Cyclops yells, angered at the youngsters rashness.

Blob struggles, then falls to one knee and bends forward quickly, throwing Iceman into Cyclops. Both heroes tumble. Blob turns to see Beast trying to get up. He goes to Beast and lifts him into a bear hug, crushing. Beast roars in pain.

"You're going to be my great big Teddy Bear, aren't you? Aren't you?"

Blob throws Beast to the ground. Beast gasps, hurt, crawling.

"Where you going, Teddy Bear?" Blob continues as Beast crawls away when he stops, face to face with two massive, iron clad feet. Beast slowly looks up in horror... Juggernaut towers over him, angry eyes peering from his helmet.

"X-Men. I hate X-Men." Juggernaut says, with fire in his eyes.

**FAR AWAY, HIGH IN THE NIGHT SKY**

Angel flies erratically, pulling at the gummy Toad spittle. Jean soars after him.

"Warren... wait for me... " She yells. She catches up to him, grips him. He struggles, frightened. "It's me, Warren. It's Jean."

**FAR BELOW, ON A GRASSY FIELD OF LA GUARDIA AIRPORT**

Jean brings Angel down to the ground, comforts him as she pulls at the goop.

"It burns, Jean... it burns."

"It's coming off. You're going to be okay." She looks towards the battle scene. "I have to get back, Warren. I have to. You just stay here."

Angel pauses, then nods. Jean stands, raises her arms and rises up.

**THE VAULT - NIGHT** **LATER** Jean moves through the air, heading back towards the Vault. She lands on the perimeter wall, aghast. Below, Iceman, Beast and Cyclops are down, wounded, crawling. The bad guys are gone. She lowers herself to Cyclops. Helicopters are heard flying closer.

**"**Scott!"

**"**Jean... where were you?"

"Angel was hurt. I'm sorry..."

"We have to get out of here... before the police come. Can you carry us all?"

"I think so. Hold on to me." Cyclops grabs her hand. Jean holds out her hands, making a great effort. Beast and Iceman rise, still stunned and limp, enveloped in a invisible mental energy field. All four X-Men rise up, into the night air, beyond the Vault's walls.**  
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	4. Senate Meeting

**UNITED STATES SENATE - DAY**

The Senate is in session with a packed house.

Senator Chester, a heavy-set, charismatic, boisterous speaker, has the floor.

"We've all heard these stories about the mutant problem. More and more we hear them. Anyone who watched the news in the last twenty-four hours knows of the man named Cain Marko. Wears a gigantic suit of armor... calls himself Juggernaut, for good reason, I might add. For years, he used his incredible powers to rob banks, and he was supposed to be unstoppable. But, someone stopped him. The National Guard did. They had him. They had him, that is, until last night, when he was set free by a group of mutant terrorists. And, according to witnesses, the X-Men were spotted at the scene of the crime."

**WAR ROOM - DAY**

On a large plasma HD TV screen, C-SPAN's coverage takes over without pause.

"Well, who are these mysterious X-Men? If they fight for the common good, like some claim they do, then why haven't they come forward to be accounted for under the Mutant Registration Act? Why is that?" He continues. There's loud applause heard from the from senators. The only occupant in the dark room is Charles Xavier, bald, handsome, in a wheelchair, watches sadly.

The loudmouthed Senator continues. "My distinguished colleagues, the problem with mutants is they're different... ... but you can't always tell by looking. They don't carry concealed weapons. They are concealed weapons. So, I say it's time to seriously consider internment camps for mutants, and mandatory tattoos. Because, without these... without these, who knows where the danger lies?"

Some one mutes the TV screen. Cyclops enters, now wearing ruby red lenses sunglasses in place of his visor, in civilian garb.

"What were we expecting? We filled the earth with pollutants. We depleted the ozone... sprayed every chemical imaginable on our food, and now that our progeny begins to show the evolutionary result, we act surprised, as if it were shocking." Xavier says, with a English accent.

"Sir, I... I, uh, wanted to talk to you... about what happened last night." Cyclops interrupts Xavier's thinking.

"You did your best, Scott. Leave it at that. Amends will be made, eventually." Cyclops is still troubled. Xavier wheels up to a keyboard, punches keys. The image on the TV is replaced by Binary code, 1s and 0s.

"I finished my latest excursion on the Internet. The final C.S.S. UNIX code was nearly impossible, but I broke through. I found what I was searching for... "

Computer generated images on Logan's skeleton appear on the screen.

He's an agent at Canada's Department H. He has the ability to heal almost any injury with unbelievable efficiency, and his bones are coated with Adamantium metal, the strongest alloy known to man." Xavier continues.

"What are these... on his hands?" Cyclops asks, shocked.

"Retractable claws. Also Adamantium. His code name is "Wolverine," and if we don't get to him soon... they will."


	5. Logan VS Hudson

**CANADIAN SECRET SERVICE OFFICE - DAY**

Logan, in a suit, is slumped in a cushy chair, smoking a cigar.

"Flashbacks are coming more often now. Full of needles and torture. They're even working their way into my dreams." Logan says, as he blows smoke rings across the office towards James Hudson. A scholarly-looking man, he fills out paperwork.

**KA-CHUNK!**

Logan imbeds his claws in the papers.

"Somehow I don't think you're giving me your undivided attention."

Hudson calmly looks up. Logan retracts his claws, sitting back in the chair. Hudson caps his pen.

"You're the best agent we've got, Logan. You've served the Prime Minister well..." He starts.

"Don't start whistling "Oh, Canada" at me again."

"Let me finish, ok? You've been on Hazard Duty a long time, left a lot of damage in your wake and no one's complaining about that. But, you've earned some nightmares."

"No... I think these visions are pieces of memories, rattling around in my head." He pauses. "I want to know who I am. I want to know who made me this way.

"No one knows."

"Well, I'm starting to find that harder and harder to stomach. "You're exactly the way you were when we found you... Adamantium claws and all. Out in the wilds of the Buffalo Woods, half-insane... living like an animal."

"As opposed to the way I'm living now?"

"What dredged this up again?"

"It's just too convenient. Secret Service stumbles upon me, cleans me up... has their shrinks give me back some of my sanity. All done out of the goodness of your heart, right, Hudson? Oh, but, lucky for you, I also happened to be the ultimate killing machine."

"Look. Department H has tried to research your background plenty of times and it's always a dead end. We can't even verify the name "Logan." What more do you want?"

"Nothing. I'm quits. That's all. I'll see ya in the funny papers."

"I can't let that happen."

"Yeah? What're you going to do about it? You going to push a button on me?" Logan waits. No answer. He exits, shuts the door behind him.**  
><strong>


	6. Whitecap Bar

**CANADIAN WILDERNESS - DAY**

Logan, in flannels and jeans, rides his extra loud Harley down an expansive highway, through scenic mountains.

**SMALL CANADIAN TOWN - DAY** Logan rides slowly through this fishing village, studies buildings. He stops in front of the WHITECAP BAR. The bar has a log-cabin motif, decorated in blobs of white plaster made to resemble snow. Logan digs an old photo from his pocket. It shows the WHITECAP BAR, less dirty, less old. Same place though.

**WHITECAP BAR - DAY**

Logan enters and sits at the bar.

"What can I do you for, friend?" The Bartender asks.

"I'm hoping you can answer me some questions. Like, how long's this place been around, the way it is now, with the whole winter wonderland thing going on?"

"Oh, I'd say... at least fifteen years."

"You a townie?"

"Born and raised."

"And, how many years you put in here?"

"Say... what's this all about? You some kind of reporter or something?"

"Well... that's hard to explain. You want the long story... " Logan holds up a $20 dollar bill. "... or the short?"

Bartender looks, and then takes the money eagerly from Logan.

"I like stories with happy endings. I been working this dive for about ten years."

"Okay, good. Do me a favor... take a hard look at me. You ever seen me before?"

Bartender pauses, checking over Logan.

"No... no, not that I can recall."

"You sure? Take your time. It might've been a while ago. Maybe years ago."

"Sorry, friend, but I think if I'd have seen that face before, I'd remember."

Logan sighs, defeated. "It's alright. It was a long shot. How about sliding me a bottle of Jack?" The bartender brings up a bottle. Logan uncaps it, pours a drink.

Waitress comes with an order, eyeing Logan.

"Now, how is it you and I are going to get to know each other if you're sitting all the way up at the bar like this?"

Logan pauses, and chuckles. "Darlin', you don't want to know me. You wouldn't like me very much."

**WHITECAP BAR - NIGHT**

Logan starts his cycle. It roars. He sits back, sad, looks to the Whitecap Bar. He takes out the photo of the bar, stares at it, and then bends one corner - makes a sharp crease. Pockets it. **  
><strong>


	7. Meeting at the Cabin

**CANADIAN FORESTS -** **DAY**

Logan rides a dirt trail, headed for a small log hunting cabin.

**LOGAN'S CABIN - DAY**

Logan sits at a weathered desk. There's an old showbox there, full of photographs, more than hundreds. Logan puts the photo of the Whitecap Bar, with its corner bent, in the box. He replaces the lid.

**LOGAN'S CABIN - NIGHT**

Logan sleeps, shifting, dreaming. He opens his eyes and sits up, abruptly alert. He turns his head and sniffs the air.

**FOREST - NIGHT**

Logan moves, stealth-like. Someone is heard ahead. In the dark, a man carries some sort of metal contraption. Logan leaps to action, runs... tackles the man. The contraption goes flying. Logan hits the ground with Cyclops pinned under him. Logan pops his claws, holds them close to Cyclops' face.

"Don't move, pretty boy."

Logan glances to the metal contraption: a folded wheelchair. "Good thinking. You're going to need that in a minute."

"Mister Logan, I presume." Cyclops says, staying as still as possible.

"Well, how about you... all calm, cool and collected." Logan retracts his claws, puts his fist against Cyclops' throat and lets only the claw to the left pop, close to Cyclops' neck.

"That's one... " He pops the right claw, surrounding his neck with metal claws of death.

"That's two. You want to go for three?" Logan looks up just as he's pulled skyward by an aura of Psionic energy and is tossed to one side. He tumbles, but comes up in a crouch, pissed. Jean Grey walks in, and stands beside Cyclops as he gets to his feet. She carries Professor Xavier in her arms.

"Back down, Wolverine. We're friends."

"How do you know that name?" Logan asks, surveying his options.

"I know a great deal about you. If you want, we'll leave... but we have no quarrel with you. Quite the contrary, in fact. We'd like your assistance." Logan studies them. He retracts his claws.

**LOGAN'S CABIN - NIGHT**

Jean, Cyclops and Xavier, is his wheelchair, are at the wobbly kitchen table. Logan sits on his bed, opens a beer.

**"**Ain't this comfy cozy... Goldilocks and the Three Mutants. So, you want me to join your... what'd you call them?"

"X-Men. So, named because they possess extra powers which ordinary humans do not." Xaiver answers.

"And, how'd you manage to find me?" Logan asks, stunned, thinking he'd lost anyone tracking him.

"I have contacts in the international intelligence community. But, you understand, I cannot go into details... not till I have your answer."

"Well, how would this work, exactly? I mean, the C.S.S. and Department H ain't just going to give me a goodbye kiss."

"You would disappear. Your Canadian citizenship would become null and void."

"You'd live in secrecy, the same as us." Cyclops cuts in.

Logan stands, nonchalantly placing his foot on the old shoebox on the floor and kicking it under the bed. Only Jean notices this.

"For the good of humanity, you said. Humanity. Are we a part of that?"

"We are, unless we make the mistake of excluding ourselves." Jean answers.

"You know, I could really get to liking you, sweetheart."

"You're out of line, Logan." Cyclops says, not liking the fact Logan was hitting on his girlfriend.

"Maybe. But, then again, I never was much of a team player." He smiles, showing his white teeth. "I'm declining the invitation. Thanks anyway." Logan plops down in a ratty easy chair, turns on the television.

"Let's go. He's a lost cause." Cyclops says, standing.

"Listen to me, Logan. Many of the tasks you've performed for your country were questionable, not to mention your methods. I'm willing to forgive that... to put past times behind."

"I don't remember asking forgiveness." Logan replies gruffly.

"You are a murderer by trade. This is the label which best defines you, isn't it? Murderer. Or, will you dispute that?"

"No. But, I can live with it."

"Can you?" Xavier pauses. "There is a war on the way. Humans against mutants, mutant against mutant... far worse than anyone imagines. And, as battles escalate, you'll be forced to choose, a side. I'm offering you an opportunity to fight for something far more honorable than a government agenda... without killing."

"Sorry... the answer's still no." Logan turns his attention back to the television. Xavier just stares at Logan, unblinking. After a moment, Logan looks at him.

"You can show yourselves out." Xavier wheels back, turning to leave. Jean and Cyclops follow.


	8. Plane Crash

**SKY - DAY **

A small private jet streaks across the sky.

**SENATOR'S JET - DAY**

Luxurious. Assistants mill about, on cellular phones. Senator Chester stands, cocktail in hand, reading paperwork.

"No, no, no, this is all wrong. Who drafted this? Start from scratch. Go!" Chester yells, and throws the papers. He drains his drink, then rattles the ice.

"Heeellllo... I'm dry here." He yells, holding an empty wine glass.

**SKY - DAY**

The Senator's jet soars. Higher up, a second jet flies into view.

**SECOND JET - DAY**

On the cockpit floor, a pilot lies unconscious, tied up. Toad is in the pilot seat, in an oxygen mask. He looks back to the cabin, gives thumbs up. Blob stands by the open door, fingers crossed.

**SECOND JET -** **DAY**

Blob sticks his head out. The Senator's jet is below and behind. Blob swallows. He leaps out, yelping... Free falling. Blob tumbles through the air, a blubber projectile.

**SENATOR'S PLANE - DAY**

Senator Chester sits down. WHHOOOOMP! - the plane lurches violently. Senator Chester's refilled cocktail spills. He's furious.

"What in tarnation... ?" He looks out the window, surprised. "There's an enormous fat man on the wing!" He yells, and looks at his drink.

**SENATOR'S JET - DAY**

Blob is barely hanging on. He grips tight with one hand and punches a hole in the wing. Jet fuel spews.

Senator Chester backs away from the window, panicky. He pushes an aide aside, sits again and frantically fastens a seatbelt. He puts his head between his legs, keeping it there.

"Um, excuse me, gentlemen... this is your pilot. We have a bit of a problem..." Pilot says over the intercom.

"We're all going to die!" A terrified Co-Pilot yells.

"Shut up!"

"What am I doing? This is madness!" Senator Chester tries to stand, realizes his seatbelt's on. He pulls it open, bolts down the aisle. He pauses as the engine can be heard choking. Senator Chester reaches the cockpit door and throws it open.

Pilot and Co-Pilot argue heatedly.

"Parachutes! Where are the parachutes?" He yells, terrified for his life.

"Sir... get back to your seat!" Pilot says, trying to help the Senator back to his seat. "Parachutes, man! We need parachutes!"

The wind-blown Blob is beating the wing. It's bent out of shape. Blob hoots with pleasure as the jet begins to spin. He lets go of the jet, soars away into open sky... As he falls, Blob looks back to the jet, which spirals downward, smoking, out of control. Blob claps like a happy child.

**SUBURBAN HOME, LIVING ROOM - DAY**

A man is on his couch, watching football on TV. He cheers a play, then picks up a plate and walks out of the room. Suburban Man walks into the Kitchen, and begins cutting another hunk of a submarine sandwich. Suddenly, a loud KA-BOOM is heard from the other room. Suburban Man is thrown to the floor as the kitchen walls shutter around him. Walls crack. Windows break. Shelves dump their contents. The BOOM reverberates. Then, relative quiet returns. Suburban Man looks up, terrified. Suburban Man enters the previously empty Living Room scared, clutching the sandwich in his fist. The living room is ruined. There's a huge hole in the ceiling. Below that, there's a big crater full of debris where the couch used to be. Blob's crawling out from the crater. Blob stands, coughing, trying to dust off. He sees Suburban man and sheepishly tries to straighten his hair, backing away. Blob opens the door, gives one last embarrassed look, and exits. Suburban Man is left dumbfounded.

**FOREST, JET CRASH SITE - NIGHT**

Wreckage and burnt forest. Lots of investigative activity. A stern man in military-issue glasses and a crew cut named Gyrich stands looking at the jet's severed, Blob-beaten wing. Gyrich turns, walks to meet an arriving Range Rover. He opens the door. Tan Man and Pale Man, in their sunglasses and angry, are inside.

"Get out." Gyrich orders.

"Who's in charge here?" Pale Man asks.

"That'd be me." Gyrich answers.

"Yeah, well, what gives you the right to drag us out here into the boondocks without a word of explanation? Huh? You think you can strong-arm us, tough-guy?" Pale Man asks, pissed.

"Do you realize you're speaking to a superior officer of the National Security Council?"

Pale Man pales, which is strange since he's called Pale Man, answers. "No, actually I didn't, since you haven't even bothered to show us any ID."

Gyrich looks a little annoyed, but smiles, nodding.

"Let me rectify that." Gyrich reaches into his pocket. He takes his hand out, holds it up and turns it to show it's empty and slaps Pale Man's face, hard.

"There's my identification, soldier. And, if I hear another peep out of you before I give you permission to speak, I'm going to knock both your heads together so hard you're each going to end up with the other guy's childhood memories. Got it? Is that clear? Just nod if you understand."

Pale Man and Tan Man, stunned into silence, nod.

"Good. Now, I have some business to finish up, but when I'm done, you're going to tell me about the mutants you ran into at that freak show, and you're going to tell me in such excruciating detail that I'll feel like I was with you. Except, if I had been, I wouldn't have let a bunch of filthy muties beat the crap out of me."

An earnest, young agent comes over with a cellular phone.

"Mister Gyrich. Trask on the line." Agent says, quietly.

"Why don't you two take a seat on that log there and start collecting your thoughts. I I'll get back to you when I feel like it." Gyrich walks away, taking the phone and shouting into it.

Pale Man and Tan Man look at each other. Pause. They walk over to the log and sit down, dejected. Pale Man rubs his red cheek.

**If I don't see at least 1 review, I'm stopping. I see 138 people have looked at this. So review? Just 1 and I'll continue. **


	9. Awesome Restaurant Fight Scene

**Serafimdream: I'm not going to stop here. I'm leaving a cliffy, but I should post the next chapter REALLY soon, like tonight!**

**Kaira Sakamoto: I know Rogue comes in about halfway. I don't remember if its Roganess or not, so you decide.**

* * *

><p><strong>CANADIAN LAKE – DAY<strong>

Logan is on an outcropping of rock, staring at the lake. Hudson walks from foliage, irritated, pulling burrs out of his suit.

"Hey there, Hudson. Looking for me?" Logan says, not even turning.

"How you can stand living around all these trees and dirt, it's beyond me. I know you claim to have quit... but you might like to see this. It came in on one of our ghost channels. A request for a meeting, addressed to you, and it's not hard to figure out who sent it." Hudson hands over a yellow paper. Logan reads it, getting angry.

"Department H still considers him absent without leave. We want him back."

"I'm in... but, only if I go alone. No back up. No extraction team."

"I figured as much. You know, he's probably counting on that."

"How would you like him? Alive or dead?"

"Use your discretion."

"I'll do that. I'll use my discretion." Logan then tosses the sheet of paper in the air, pops his claws with a SNICKT! He swings... Four cut strips of paper float onto the lake's flat surface.

**NIAGARA FALLS RESTAURANT - NIGHT**

High-class restaurant. Busy. Loud classical music plays.. At the entrance, Logan, well dressed, searches the crowd.

Maitre D' asks him, "Do you have a reservation, sir? Sir?" Logan spots what he came for. He walks towards it. One wall of the dining room is comprised of windows affording a spectacular view of the Horseshoe Falls at night. Logan reaches a table occupied by Sabretooth. These two hate each other lots.

"Logan. Grab a seat. We need to talk." Sabretooth says.

"How's the mercenary business these days, Creed? Assassinate any good foreign dignitaries lately?" Logan asks, as he sits warily.

"Actually, I been monogamous for a while now. Working on a sort of a... crusade."

"Isn't that special?" Waiter approaches timidly. He puts a plate down in front of

Sabretooth. A completely raw steak, with garnish.

"Your... um, steak, sir." The waiter splits. Creed cuts the meat with a forefinger claw.

"Hope you don't mind I ordered without you."

"Nah. Seeing you again, I doubt I'd be able to keep solid food down."

He growls, and continues. "Now, what kinda way is that to talk to your old spying partner? We been through a lot together, you and me."

"We worked together, but we were never partners."

"If looking at it like that makes you feel better, fine. But, I been sent to ask if you want to team up again. See... a bunch of us got something going. It's called the Brotherhood... ... kind of a pussy name if you ask me, but anyway, we're about to be putting a big hurt on a lot a people."

"I'm not interested, okay? So, that's all of that, right? You done jawing?

"Sure am." Logan stands, takes off his jacket, and starts rolling his sleeves up.

"You know, there's not a day goes by I don't think about how much I'd like to take you out." Logan says, as he places his jacket on the chair.

"Hey, I was only fulfilling an obligation there. I'm glad you said no. Cause now I got an altogether different obligation to stomp you into the ground. I've been hating you so long, I can't even remember what started it." As he talks, Sabretooth takes off his cowboy boots, revealing feet with long-clawed toes. Logan takes off his tie and places it on his pile of clothes.

"I know what started it for me. You murdered the only woman I ever loved."

"Hah, that's right. Now, why did I snuff her again? Oh, yeah, I remember... didn't really have a reason... I did it for fun."

**SNICKT**!

Logan's claws shoot out as he lunges... Sabretooth tips back his chair, hits the floor and does a backward somersault. Logan misses, knocking over the table and slamming his claws into the floor. Sabretooth springs to his feet, takes the napkin from around his neck and tosses it aside, ready for a fight.

"Step right up." Logan pulls his claws free, advances. Dinner-goers are freaked and start a panicked rush for the door. The two fighters ignore the screaming. Sabretooth and Logan circle, then attack, grappling. Sabretooth holds Logan's wrists to avoid claws, shifts his weight and throws... Logan hits the wall, falls to the floor. Sabretooth grabs a sharp steak knife, throws it. Logan ducks to one side **THUNK! T**he knife imbeds in the wall. Logan charges towards Sabretooth, but Sabretooth leaps up onto a table. Logan slashes at him, missing. Again and again, Logan swings and misses, chopping tables and chairs to pieces... Sabretooth keeps avoiding, leaping from table to table. He's amazingly adept, keeping his balance even as he leaps from chair back to chair back. Logan's getting furious, flailing.

"Hold still, ya freak!" Logan whiffs as Sabretooth leaps and kicks him across the face. Logan goes sprawling. He struggles to get up, but falls to his knees, gripping his head, crying out in pain...

**FLASHBACK - LOGAN'S MEMORY **

A rushing sound is heard, like a freight train.

The images move through a business corridor passing metal doorways, searching for something. After rounding a corner, ahead are high-tech military men in strange uniforms. The Military Men look this way, alarmed, pointing, raising automatic weapons...

**IN THE RESTAURANT**

Logan's still wrapped up in the flashback. Across the room, Sabretooth grasps an espresso machine, yanks it out of the wall...

"Anyone for an after dinner espresso?"

Logan throws his head back and opens his eyes, released by the vision. He looks towards Sabretooth just as Sabretooth throws... Logan dodges. The espresso machine smashes into the wall, barely missing. Logan leaps onto the buffet table, moving. There's a large ice sculpture there. Logan slices off a huge chunk... He heaves it. Sabretooth runs, but the ice chunk clobbers him, knocking him down. Sabretooth's dazed. Logan leaps down and closes in.

"Say goodnight, Gracie." Logan brings one hand back for the kill, but several spoons fly over **CLINK! CLINK**! They attach to his claws. Logan looks... Silverware leaps from everywhere, drawn to his claws.

**CLINK! CLINK! CLINK! **Hundreds of knifes, forks and spoons fly towards tries to shake them, but his claws are useless, heavy. In a corner of the room, one final patron has remained, seated in shadows. He stands into light. It's Magneto.

"You should have joined us, Wolverine. What a pitiful waste of talent."

Logan sees Sabretooth getting up and moving in for the kill. Logan lets out a howl of rage, runs ahead, and slams into Sabretooth. They both smash through one of the plate glass windows...

**NIAGARA FALLS, HILLSIDE - NIGHT**

The raging sound of the Horseshoe Falls is deafing. Logan and Sabretooth fall, surrounded by shards of broken glass and cutlery. They hit a steep, rocky hillside, tumbling down... **WHOOMP**! They finally land on a rail-bordered ledge. It's a scenic look out point, very close to the falls. They're both in bad shape. Sabretooth is the first to rise. Mist sprays down onto them from the falls.

"You're too much, shrimp. Trying to kill me... you almost killed yourself." Sabretooth picks Logan up, lifts him over his head in both hands.

"Silly me... did I say almost?" With a grunt, Sabretooth throws Logan's body over the rail. Logan's body drops... disappears into the raging fury of Niagara.**  
><strong>


	10. Intruder and Danger Room Session

**Karya: Right now!**

**I just noticed. Storm isn't ANYWHERE in this version. I wonder why...**

**I also have found Scripts for X2, maybe X3, and I don't know how different the X4 script is from the movie, since I haven't seen it yet.**

****May post another tonight. May not!****

**I think this is my fav chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong>X-MANSION - NIGHT <strong>

**UPSTATE NEW YORK, SALEM CENTER**

It's raining hard. Lightning illuminates the X-Mansion, an expansive, two-winged brick structure. The sign at the top of the circular drive reads "XAVIER INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER LEARNING."

**X-MANSION 2ND FLOOR, BEAST'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT**

Beast, in reading glasses, upside down, clings to ceiling-mounted "monkey-bars" with his feet, reading "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD."

**X-MANSION 2ND FLOOR, ANGEL'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT**

Angel sleeps on his stomach, shirtless, his wings spread wide.

**X-MANSION 2ND FLOOR, XAVIER'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT**

Xavier is at a worktable, using a soldering iron to do delicate work on a bread-box sized, device with a antenna. He looks tired.

**X-MANSION SUB-BASEMENT, WAR ROOM - NIGHT**

Iceman, in human form, is asleep at a security station, with TVs and RADAR screens. An alarm sounds loudly. Iceman awakens, startled. He stands rapidly, as his skin is covered in a thick ice suit, of sorts, transforming him as he punches buttons and studies screens.

**X-MANSION 2ND FLOOR, XAVIER'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT ALARM**.

Xavier looks up, worried, wheels quickly across the room into an elevator. The doors shut.

**X-MANSION GROUNDS, LAWN - NIGHT** A small door pops open in a well placed rock and a RADAR mast rises up, and starts shifting back and forth, scanning and beeping.

**X-MANSION, 2ND FLOOR WINDOW - NIGHT ALARM.**

A window is thrown open. Angel climbs out and leaps. He spreads his wings and soars into the rainy sky, soaring around the mansion.

**X-MANSION SUB-BASEMENT, WAR ROOM - NIGHT ALARM**.

Elevator doors open and Xavier enters, wheeling to Iceman.

"What have we got, Robert?"

"The thermal sensors and radar are going crazy, but they're being taken out before they can cross-reference. Watch..." Iceman points to a radar screen. It shows an erratic blip heading towards the screen's center. Then the screen goes dead.

**X-MANSION GROUNDS, LAWN - NIGHT**

At the rock, the RADAR mast has been ravaged, innards exposed.

**X-MANSION 2ND FLOOR, LIVING QUARTERS HALLWAY - NIGHT ALARM**.

A long hallway. Beast runs down the hall. Cyclops comes out a door, adjusting his visor. He waits till Beast is past, making sure the coast is clear, then ushers Jean Grey out.

**X-MANSION GROUNDS/FRONT-GATE - NIGHT**

Angel lands gracefully and runs. He sees that the wrought-iron of the Institute's main gate has been slashed open. Angel goes to an intercom on the gate pillar.

"This is Angel. I'm at the front gate. The perimeter's definitely been breeched." Angel says into the intercom.

**X-MANSION FRONT DOOR - NIGHT ALARM.**

Loud noises are heard clunking. The doors swing open. Cyclops, Beast and Jean Grey step out, ready for battle.

**X-MANSION SUB-BASEMENT, WAR ROOM - NIGHT**

Iceman and Xavier continue monitoring. Suddenly, the pitch of the alarm changes and the entire War Room is bathed in red light. Xavier looks, then sits back in his chair and shuts his eyes...

"Jean... can you hear me?" Xavier says in his mind to the other Telepath.

**X-MANSION FRONT DOOR - NIGHT**

Beast, Cyclops and Jean Grey fanning out across the drive when Jean turns her head, responding to Xavier.

"I'm here, Professor." She replies.

"The intruder has entered the mansion." Jean heads back toward the mansion, shouting to Beast and Cyclops.

"Scott, he's inside the house!"

**X-MANSION GROUNDS/FRONT GATE - NIGHT**

Angel pushes through the remains of the gate, peering forward. Lightning illuminates a Harley Davidson motorcycle parked ahead.

**X-MANSION, FRONT DOORS - NIGHT**

Jean runs into the foyer and halts, looking up in shock just as Beast and Scott arrive to back her up.

"Logan!" Jean yells, shocked at the intruder. Logan sits at the top of the broad, central staircase. He's still in the clothing Sabretooth ruined, soaked, hurt bad. The entire right side of his face is swollen and badly bruised.

"Your security system could use some improvements." He stands, weak, keeping his hand on the rail, tossing a duffel bag off his shoulder. He takes a step down, but blacks out and tumbles. Jean comes to catch him, cradles his battered form.

"... nice catch... "

"What happened to you?" She asks, stunned.

"Bad things, darlin'... bad things."

**LOGAN'S DREAM - LOGAN'S MEMORIES P.O.V. FROM UNDERWATER**

Blood tubes, and bubbles; like from within an aquarium to the outside world. Figure in a lab coat passes, warped and made unrecognizable by the water and glass. The running down the metal corridor, passing metal doorways, searching. Rounding a corner... ahead are high-tech Military Man strange uniforms. The Military Men look alarmed, pointing, raising automatic weapons... It rushes straight at Military Men, heedless of the guns, picking up speed, into the rapid gunfire.

Everything goes pale. Then, the world fades to white. Suddenlt, the scene changes to a giant field of flowers. Peaceful. Colors so clear. Flowers are everywhere, EVERYWHERE!

**X-MANSION, WOLVERINE'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT**

Logan sleeps, shirtless, still baring his massive wounds. We wait paiently, as he sleeps, he heals. Later, we see is face is less swollen, and his torso is almost completely healed, but covered in many large scars.

**X-MANSION, VARIOUS ROOMS, LIBRARY, HALLWAY - DAY**

Xavier leads Logan through the vast library, into a hall.

"The dining rooms, kitchen and parlor are found in the other wing. As you can see, everything on this floor and above has been designed to be viewed by the general public. As far as they know, this is merely a school for gifted students." They reach an elevator and enter it.

"The sub-basements, however, are an entirely different matter." Xavier finishes, as the doors close.

**WAR ROOM - DAY**

he vault-like door opens. Xavier and Logan enter. For the first time we see the War Room's full glory. There are many futuristic, multi-screened computer stations.

"The War Room. We've tapped into NORAD Central Command, the F.B.I. and C.I.A...even your Department H. All civilian, military, and police data is harvested, twenty four hours a day."

"I hope you don't expect me to learn Word." He pauses, looking around. "Why are you trusting me... showing me all your secrets right off the bat?"

"Trust is the only thing of any value I'm showing you. You already know the one piece of information that could hurt the X-Men most. Our location."

"Now that you mention it, how did I know that? I mean, I came right here..."

"The night we met, I planted it in your mind, hidden away with a memory trigger attached. So, the moment you decided to accept my offer, the trigger was activated and the information was revealed to you."

"You did that, without me even knowing."

"And, I do apologize. Normally I feel such uninvited intrusions are wrong, but I felt I had no choice. As a telepath, I face innumerable moral dilemmas every day. You can only begin to imagine. Right now, for example, I could read your every thought with ease... if I choose to."

Logan ponders this as Xavier wheels to a security door.

**CEREBRO CHAMBER - DAY**

The door rises. A high-tech chair sits surrounded by controls, beneath a techno-amazing Cerebro helmet is attached to a swing arm.

"This is Cerebro. Its sensors constantly sweep the globe, piggy backing existing satellite projections. By linking with it, I have the ability to detect the unique waves of psionic energy emitted by super humanly powerful mutants."

Xavier hits some keys: producing a 3-D holographic map of New York Cityin the air. Wispy signals of red ebb and flow across it.

"It unfortunately cannot specify exact locations. However, I have recently discovered an unusual gathering of mutants in and around New York City."

"The Brotherhood... and Sabretooth. Who's running that road show, anyway? Who's the guy who turned me into a giant magnet?"

"The time will come for this discussion. Till then, I have to ask you not to mention that incident to the other X-Men.

**X-MANSION, DANGER ROOM CONTROL ROOM - DAY**

Another technological wonderland. Beast is in the control chair, working controls. Jean Grey and Cyclops flank him. The trio is looking at a large view port window.

"Not bad." Jean says, impressed.

"Not bad at all." Beast says, equally impressed.

"Not good enough." Cyclops says with a sigh.

Xavier and Logan enter. Angel, seated, takes his nose out of his Wall Street Journal and stands. Jean and Cyclops turn to face Professor.

"Logan... you've already met Jean Grey, and our team leader, Scott Summer, or , this is Warren Worthington the Third. Nicknamed Angel, for obvious reasons."

Angel, rather snobbish, shakes hands, although it looks like he'd rather not.

"Worthington, huh? As in Worthington Industries?"

"I'm Chairman and principal stockholder."

"How does a mutant manage that?"

"In this age of teleconferencing and fax machines, it's not too hard."

"This busy gentleman over here is Henry McCoy. Biochemist and genetic researcher extraordinaire, otherwise known as Beast." Xavier finishes.

"A distinct pleasure meeting you. I'd shake hands, but I don't have a free one."

"Beast is putting our young Iceman, Robert Drake, through his paces." Xavier motions to the window.

"Come look. We call this the Danger Room." Logan walks to the view port, looking into a positively enormous room. The dented, greasy, burnt, metal walls and ceiling of the Danger Room are covered in irregularly shaped geometric sections, formed by the seams of trap doors, hidden compartments, hinges, gun barrel holes and slightly jutting sensors. Iceman, dwarfed by the room, runs for his life, dodging red laser beams

**THE DANGER ROOM**

Iceman sprints, as laser beams shoot past. He looks back over his shoulder. **KACHUNG**! A metal wall suddenly juts up from the floor and the oblivious Iceman slams into it. Iceman rolls, still under fire. He places his palms on the floor. A pillar of ice forms under his hands, growing, shooting quickly up into the air, and carrying him. Across the room, cannons that fire awesome lasers in the wall shift to retarget. At the top of the still forming ice pillar, Iceman fires back at the cannons with ice projectiles, disabling them. Iceman lets out a laugh. Below, a panel whips opens in the wall... A battering ram shoves out and shatters the pillar in the middle. Iceman cries out as he falls. He points with both hands... On the floor, a crude slide made of ice morphs into existence. Iceman hits it near the top and slides through to slow his fall. The slide spits him out the bottom. He slides across the floor. Iceman comes to a stop. In front of him, a trap-door slams open and a menacing fire cannon rises on pistons, targeting. The cannon shoots a flame, engulfing Iceman before he can crawl away.

A loud horn sounds, and the fire cannon lets up, then withdraws into its hiding place. Iceman's sharp edges have melted

"That's enough for today, Robert." Xavier says into the intercom, his voice filling the Danger Room, signaling the end. Iceman reforms his melted edges, pounds the floor in frustration.

**DANGER ROOM CONTROL ROOM**

Xavier lets his finger off the intercom button. Cyclops watches Iceman exit the Danger Room below.

"A disappointing score for Bobby Drake, ladies and gentlemen. If only he could have landed that triple axle." Beast chuckles.

"Alright, Beast, alright. We all know he needs lots of practice." Cyclops replies.

"He has to learn to react quicker." Jean answers.

"More quickly, actually." Beast says.

"He will. See to it, Scott. Spend some extra time with him." Xavier says to Cyclops who nods in return. Xavier looks to Logan.

"So... what do you think?"

"It looks fun. When's my turn?"

"It's not fun, Logan. It's for real. I doubt you're ready for it."

"Hey, I'm for real too, Cyke, so it's a perfect match. Or, didn't your mommy teach you to share your toys?" He replies, offended.

"You don't know anything about the D.R. except what you just saw. You go in now, you're just going to get yourself killed." Cyclops says, angered.

"Well, why don't we let the big man decide?" Logan and Cyclops look to Xavier.

**THE DANGER ROOM - DAY D.R.**

The doors open. Logan enters. Doors slam. Logan walks to the center. **SNICKT!**

Out pops his claws, and he looks up at the control room.

"You still want to do this?" Cyclops' voice comes over the intercom.

Logan looks all around, retracts and extends his claws on both hands... 1,2,3, 1,2,3, 1,2,3, like impatient, drumming fingers.

"I'm waiting." He yells to the large empty metal room. Three tones blare. Then, four irises in one wall open quickly. **PHUT! PHUT! PHUT**! Leather medicine balls are fired. Logan runs, missed by several, but one medicine ball knocks him in the small of his back and knocks him down.

"Last chance to change your mind."

"Shut your cake-hole." Logan stands. **CLANK**! Up pops the fire cannon.

Logan runs straight at it, leap-frogs over just as it fires. Ahead, three long, multi-sectional arms fly up from the floor. Spider legs with sharp sword tips. They swing and jab at Logan, but he ducks and dodges. The swords whistle as they swipe. Logan blocks them with the backs of his claws, then ducks and runs...

He chops two of the arms down as he passes. The third arm retracts. Logan searches for the next threat. High above, a mini missile cannon with missiles ready to go reveals itself. Logan books. Mini-missiles explode behind him. Ahead, a semi-circular wall jumps up, creating a dead end. Logan does not slow, leaps, kicks off the wall with one foot and repels, running the other direction without missing a step. Logan runs to the wall ahead and flattens against it. He looks up. The missile launcher is directly above. It stops firing, whirring as it tries to target. It can't make the angle. Logan smiles, but that smile wipes away as the wall he's pressed against starts slowly tipping towards him. Logan runs. A big section of the wall is falling like a ten ton domino. Logan gets out from under, as the wall slams flat with a thunderous **BOOM!** Logan slides to a stop, looks back up at the view port, cocky.

"You'll have to do better than..." Logan looks up. A spiked, metal ram arm hurtles down. Logan dives away as the ram pounds. The ram retreats. The floor opens in front of Logan, and he is momentarily eye to eye with a drone robot. Logan gets up. The bizarre, lanky drone-bot rises into full view as the platform bringing it locks in place. Logan looks behind him. Then, 4 other drone-bots arrive similarly. Logan backs up, claws ready. The drone-bots attack with buzz-saw hands and serrated fingers. Logan kicks one. Another drone-bot strikes, sends Logan flying. Logan lands hard, his shoulder cut up pretty bad.

**THE D.R. CONTROL ROOM**

Xavier and the rest of the X-Men watch.

"I'm shutting it down."

"No, Scott. Let him continue."

**THE DANGER ROOM**

Logan stands, furious. The drone-bots are coming. Logan goes to meet them with a cry of rage. He swings, cutting into the drone-bots as they try to counter. Drone-bot pieces fly to the Danger Room floor. Logan cuts one drone-bot in half, grabs another drone-bot's arm, and cuts it off. A drone-bot buzz saw slices Logan's back with a glancing blow, but Logan turns and impales the drone-bot's head on his right hand's claws. Logan keeps swinging, ripping, shredding, tearing, bashing.

**THE D.R. CONTROL ROOM**

Cyclops is amazed, a little frightened.

"My God..." Cyclops says, stunned at Logan's show.

**THE DANGER ROOM**

Logan tosses the last drone-bot, breathing hard, calming. The horn blares. Logan looks up.

"I'm going to Disneyland."


	11. Revealations

**Here's a shorty before bed.**

* * *

><p><strong>X-MANSION, XAVIER'S QUARTERS - NIGHT<strong>

Cyclops broods by the window. Xavier's in his wheelchair.

"He's not one of us."

"You must have patience Scott."

"Besides his... his berserker instincts...putting that aside for a moment, we still both know the only reason he's here is to get another crack at Sabretooth."

"Wolverine is an X-Man now, Scott. Like you, or Iceman... any of you. One by one, you came to me, or I sought you out. And now that Logan has come, he is just as deserving of chance to learn to control his abilities. We need him, and although he may not know it yet... he needs us."

**X-MANSION, INDOOR SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT**

Jean Grey swims laps in the pool. She crosses under the diving board, turns and swims back. At the other end, she climbs out.

"Nice night for a dip, sweetheart."

Jean's startled. Logan's on the diving board, smoking a cigar.

"What can I do for you, Logan?"

"You're doing it."

She does look good in her bathing suit. Jean motions. Her towel, far away, leaps into the air and comes to her. She covers up.

"Aw... you don't have to be shy around me."

"Let me explain something, before you try to take this relationship beyond the leering stage... "

"I know... you already got a boyfriend. A certain fella goes by the name of Cyclops."

"That night in my cabin, I could smell your lipstick on pretty-boy's breath. So, either you two had been smooching it up, or he was borrowing your shade. But, it doesn't bother me. It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind."

"Good night, Logan. Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite... as if they'd try."

"What's your hurry?"

"Something about being alone in a room with you makes me uneasy."

"That's my animal magnetism."

"No, it's fear."

"Afraid you're going to fall in love?"

"Afraid you're a lunatic."

"Crazy for you." Jean Grey just shakes her head and exits. Logan's alone.

"Logan... you are a heel." Disgusted with himself, he chucks his cigar into the pool.

**X-MANSION, CYCLOPS' LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT**

Jean is on the bed, drying her hair with her swim towel. She stops, stares at the wall, thinking. Cyclops with his protective sunglasses comes from the bathroom in a robe.

"What's the matter?" He asks, puzzled by his girlfriend.

"Hm? Oh, . Just thinking. That's all."

Cyclops lets it go, sits beside her, kisses her.

"We have to tell them." She says, breaking the kiss.

"Tell them what?" Cyclops leans to kiss again, but she stops him with a weak smile.

"Scott, I'm tired of sneaking in here every night, and then having to hurry back to my own room before the sun comes up."

"But, what are they going to say? And, with Professor Xavier... around him I still feel like... like some little kid."

"We shouldn't worry what the others will think or say. We shouldn't have to worry." She says as she falls back on the bed. Cyclops joins her, takes her hand. "I wish, just once... I'd give anything to be able to look into your eyes. Just once in my lifetime."

"You know that can never happen. These lenses are the only thing keeping me from destroying everything I look at. Without them... without them, who knows?" Jean comes close to him, puts her arms around him. A breeze blows the curtains of a nearby window. **  
><strong>


	12. Bombing, Change of Team, and Mel Gibson?

**X-MANSION, WEIGHT TRAINING ROOM - NIGHT**

Iceman, human form, lifts weights, straining, covered in sweat, pushing himself. Across the room, Angel is seated studying financial charts and graphs on a laptop while he speaks on the phone.

"I don't care what's hot in the Asian Bond Markets, Jack. S...E...L...L, got it? Now, what's MRV's close? Okay... lock in one millions shares. And, by the way, whatever happened to those ballet tickets?" He asks into the phone.

**X-MANSION, BEAST'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT**

Books, books, books. One half of the suite is a chemical test lab. Beast mixes things in test-tubes, watches for a reaction. He gets none, disappointed, goes to write down his findings.

**X-MANSION, LOGAN'S LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT **

A samurai sword rests on a display rack. Logan sits crosslegged on the floor, sorts through photos from the shoebox. Photos, of different people, different places. Logan studies one, then puts it on the floor and picks up another. He seems frustrated. Many photos are laid out on the floor around him. Many of have one corner sharply bent.

**MANHATTAN - NIGHT**

If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. It's big, shiny, and beautiful. It's the Manhattan skyline. The CITICORP building, with its distinctive slanted roof, stands tall. All and all, besides the sounds of sirens, it's a quiet night. Then, a loud rumble is heard. The CITICORP Building trembles. It shifts impossibly, just slightly, to one side, shuttering... Thousands of windows shatter, raining glass towards the street. Then, it's quiet again, for a moment. Only a moment. With a scream of tortured metal and a sound like one thousand trains speeding towards death, the CITICORP Building falls towards the east river... Its lights go dark as it topples surrounding structures, and buries streets filled with cars. The destruction echoes throughout the city. It's over. A great cloud of dust rises. The Manhattan skyline is forever altered.

**X-MANSION, XAVIER'S LIVING QUARTERS - DAY **

The HD TV shows news images and reports of rubble strewn streets and busyemergency rooms. Xavier listens, his head lowered in sorrow. The anchorman's voice tells about the tragedies.

"... alliance of mutant terrorists calling themselves "The Brotherhood" has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Here is a portion of the message we received just moments before the explosion." Magneto's voice fills the room.

"The thunder you hear across a cloudless sky is not the sound of a storm rising. It is the sound of mankind falling."

Xavier looks to the TV. This voice fills him with dread.

"If it is your desire to fear mutants, it will be our pleasure to give you something worth fearing. If you hate us, we gladly hate you back. And, if you attempt to imprison us, we will rise up, and we will build our cities with your bones."

**X-MANSION, PARLOR - DAY**

Xavier sternly faces the assembled X-Men: Beast, Iceman, in human form of course, Angel, Jean Grey, Cyclops and surprisingly Logan.

"Beast and I leave for Manhattan within the hour. I would like very much to see a marked improvement in this team upon my return. Will I see such an improvement, Scott? Can I depend on that?"

"Where there's room for improvement. Yes."

"There is one other thing. Angel... you are no longer required to participate in Danger Room exercises. I've decided you'll serve as only a pilot and a scout."

This is surprising to everyone, except Logan, who doesn't care.

"What?" He says, surprised and shocked.

"You are talented, son, but your skills are not enough in a combat. You're too vulnerable."

"This isn't fair. You're overreacting to one incident."

"I have to agree with Angel." Jean breaks the silence.

"I'm sorry, it's not open to discussion. The destruction of the CITICORP Building was only a prelude..."

"So, that's it? Suddenly, I'm just some junior-league flunkey?"

"Since when do we run things this way?" Iceman asks.

Xavier, with building anger in his voice, answers. "The darkest days of our lives lie just ahead for all of us and we have little time to make ready. So, in this one instance, this is how it will be, without question. Is that understood?"

**UPSTATE NEW YORK ROADWAY - DAY**

Xavier's car speeds along through lush, upstate NY forests.

**XAVIER'S CAR** -**DAY**

Beast drives, disguised in an overcoat with the collar pulled up, sunglasses and a hat. Xavier stares out the passenger window.

"What exactly was that back there, Charles? Tough love?"

"It had to be done." He pauses, probably regretting it already. "How harsh was I?"

"Perhaps you were right to limit Angel's participation, but a quote by Mark Twain does come to mind regarding your delivery."

"And it is... ?"

" 'Intemperate temperance injures the cause of temperance, while temperate temperance helps it in its fight against intemperate intemperance." Or, in other words, "chill out.' Just a little."

"I'll try to remember that. Thank you."

"Just what do we hope to accomplish on this breezy jaunt into the Big Apple?"

"I'm not certain yet. We may be looking up an old acquaintance of mine."

"Interesting. Care to elaborate?"

"No."

"Alright then. As long as you don't make me sit through "Cats" again." He looks to the rearview mirror. "Uh oh..."

Xavier looks back. A New York Police car follows, red lights revolving.

"Oh my."

**ROADWAY - DAY **

Beast and Xavier's car stops. The police car stops behind.

**XAVIER'S CAR - DAY**

Beast looks in the mirror, watches the policeman get out. He takes off his sunglasses, looks expectantly to Xavier.

"No. Not this time. You know how I feel about this."

"I understand your reticence, but what choice do we have? It's harmless..."

"I won't do it. I simply will not."

"Okay, okay. The only other thing I can think of is for you to switch places with me, and I could hunker down and hope he doesn't notice me. But, that might be a problem, if, say, oh... the officer happens to ask you to step out of the car."

"Alright... alright. Take off your hat."

**ROADWAY - DAY**

The policeman walks to the driver's side, taps the window. The tinted window rolls down... reveals Mel Gibson at the wheel.

"Howdy there, officer. Jeez, was I going too fast or something?"

"Hey... I know you. You're that actor guy... in all those great cop movies where everything explodes."

"Yeah, well, that's me. I, uh, was also in this thing called "Hamlet," but anyway..."

Xavier has his eyes closed, fingers pressed to his temples.

"Don't mind him. That's my agent there. He's got a really bad migraine headache... had a busy day back-stabbing and double-dealing. Listen, I'm on my way into town for a big movie premiere, and I was kind of hoping you might, you know... see your way clear to letting me slide this time. Just this once. He smiles his winningest, movie-star smile."**  
><strong>


	13. Bombing Search and Danger Room Win

Origins was AWESOME! I watched it twice, it was so KICK ASS AWESOME!

Its, like 10 days tlll First Class. YEAH! Who's going to watch it at the theaters? I'm going to! And then get it from Netflix when it comes out. XD.

* * *

><p><strong>BROOKLYN NAVY DEPOT - DAY<strong>

Two massive tractors with trailers move through Brooklyn streets. They approach the sprawling, industrial Brooklyn Navy Yards, across from the lower tip of Manhattan. The yards have definitely seen better days. Two guards open the gates for the tractor trailers.

**BROOKLYN NAVAL YARDS, THE COMPOUND - DAY**

Doors slide opened to allow the tractor trailers to enter a massive, rusty building, the size of an airplane hanger. Inside the compund, the doors behind close. Doors in front open. The tractor trailers move on, into a cavernous, Ken-Adamish, government station. Shiny, busy and well equipped, it's a sharp contrast to its exterior. Troopers and Technicians mill about. Gyrich walks to meet Bolivar Trask, scientist, nebbish, who climbs from one truck, looking weary.

"Welcome to the Compound, Trask. Your illegally siphoned tax dollars at work."

"Thank you. It's very nice. Um, now... if I could be shown my room, I'm exhausted..."

"Later. First, I want a look-see at the goodies you brought me." Gyrich grasps Trask and leads him.

Men open the doors at the back of one truck. Machines are hear humming loudly. Its too dark to see anything, but three pairs of glowing eyes.

**NEW YORK CITY STREET - NIGHT**

Beast (in overcoat and such) and Xavier come to a red-globed subway entrance, looking around. Beast vaults over the rail. He lands on the stairs below. The station is closed, boarded up. Beast pulls at the boards. Xavier keeps watch above.

**UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAY - NIGHT**

A passageway and entrance used for going from building to building. It is dark and empty except for Beast and Xavier. Ahead are large warning signs and yellow police barrier ribbons.

"News reports said it was an explosion that took the building down, as if it were a bomb. But, I have a strong feeling they haven't been told the truth."

**BELOW CITICORP, PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT**

A long escalator is covered in rubble. Hastily assembled boards block the escalator off. Beast shoves through from the other side, carrying Xavier. He stops, looking up in awe. The escalator they're on goes only a little further down before it abruptly ends, hanging over a massive crater. The crater has ruined several floors of parking garage. At its center, many massive steel girders and thousands of metal support rods have been ripper from their concrete moorings and walls, stretched and

joined together, twisted round and round each other, forming what looks like a giant tornado of heavy metal frozen in time.

"Lord... who could have done this?" Beast asks, knowing that Xavier knew.

**X-MANSION, DANGER ROOM - DAY**

Logan leads with Iceman following close behind. They rush through a metal hallway, staying low, cautious. They come to a corner. Logan peeks around. Ahead, a machine gun comes to life and fires. Logan pulls back as rubber bullets pound a nearby wall, meant for him.

"You want it?" Iceman nods, steps up. The machine gun fires. Rubber bullets bounce off Iceman as he raises his arms, projecting his cold fog... The machine gun keeps firing, but frost begins to form. It creaks, mechanisms slowing, so cold and brittle, as it fires, it shatters into millions of pieces. Logan looks around the corner.

"You do quality work, Frosty. Don't let anybody tell you different."

"I aim to please." He smiles. Looking from above, they are moving through a giant, complicated maze formed by hundreds of interconnecting walls jutting from the floor.

**D.R. ELSEWHERE IN THE MAZE**

Jean Grey and Cyclops navigate from an opposite corner, also heading towards the center. They're a lot closer to the center goal than Iceman and Logan. Jean is in front. She moves down a long section of the maze. Suddenly, a panel opens, revealing three holes. Three round objects shoot out at incredible speed... Jean leans back, furrowing her brow. The objects freeze in the air, inches from her face. Three grenades, spinning, suspended.

"Um... you might want to get rid of those." Cyclops chuckles. With an upwards glance, Jean sends the grenades into the air. They explode above the maze, harmless. Jean looks to Cyclops.

"Oh, ye of little faith."

**IN ANOTHER SECTION OF THE MAZE**

Logan and Iceman pick up the pace. They move around another corner, revealing a dead end.

"Give me a friggin' break. What's this stupid game supposed to teach us again?"

"Threat assessment... team work... "

"Truth, justice and the American way." Logan says sarcastically. "Well, nuts to all that. You want to win?"

"I'd love to. Nobody's ever beaten Cyclops and Jean when they're paired up."

"Yeah, they got a real synergy going. Well, them days is over. From here on out, it's you and me and create-tive-ity."

**SNICKT!** Logan pops his claws, leaps, digs in the wall and climbs.

**DANGER ROOM CONTROL ROOM - DAY**

Angel's at the controls, looking down on the maze through the viewport. He sees Logan's head stick up, smiles, and pushes the nig red button.

**THE DANGER ROOM, MAZE MODE - DAY **

Laser beams fire, barely missing as Logan ducks down.

**INSIDE THE MAZE**

Logan lands back beside Iceman.

"No coming over the top, Wolverine."

"Now we know where we're going. All we go to do is get there. And, the shortest distance between two points... " Logan shoves his claws into the metal maze wall, cutting a large circle, like slicing butter, and kicks it in.. The metal lands on the floor, with a loud **BANG!**

"... is right through here. Watch my back."

"I'm there."

**AT THE CENTER OF THE MAZE**, a red flag waves proudly, as it sits atop a steep, metal hill. At one side of this open area, Cyclops and Jean enter.

**"**We made it."

But then, **SKKKKKEEEEEERUNK! SCCCCRREEEEETTTTTCH**! Logan kicks a hole in the opposite wall. Iceman is behind. Cyclops books. Logan runs from the other side. They both sprint up the hill, heading towards the red flag. Cyclops dives forward and grabs the flag, just before Logan gets there

"Close, Logan, but not close enough. I bet you could almost taste it."

"That's alright. The better man won. Put her there..." He displays a friendly hand. Cyclops is pleasantly surprised, goes to shake hands, but Logan punches him, sends him tumbling. Logan picks up the flag.

"I don't remember hearing the final bell." The Final Bell blares. Logan points up at it. "Now the game's over, and you lose. It's mighty nice being king of the hill, but you got to be ready to defend it." Logan throws the flag. It lands on Cyclops as Jean comes to make sure Cyclops is alright. Logan comes down beside Iceman.

"That was dirty pool." Iceman proclaims, disgusted but pleased.

"That was winning, kid. You'll recognize it after you've done it a few times."

**BLAM**! Cyclops' energy ray slugs Logan from behind. Logan hits a wall. He gets up, shaking it off, angry.

**"**What were you thinking?" He asks angered, as his healing works its magic on his back.

"Let's go... you and me." Cyclops moves forward. Logan approaches, but Iceman steps in front, blocking him while Jean restrains Cyclops.

"Stop this. Are you crazy? Stop it!" Jean says, using her strength with telekinesis to keep Cyclops back.

"Ease back, Logan. Step off." Iceman says, as Cyclops stops.

"Okay... okay, I'm alright."

"Nothing worse than a sore loser, One-eye. You should learn to take it like a man."

Logan walks out. Iceman and Jean look worried. At their teammates struggle, that probably will come back to haunt them. **  
><strong>


	14. Searching and Photos

**NEW YORK APARTMENT, OFFICE - EARLY EVENING**

The door to the office is closed. Beast is on the phone.

"Whomever it is leading the Brotherhood... well, it seems Charles may have had dealings with him in the past."

**X-MANSION, LIVING ROOM - EARLY EVENING**

Cyclops, Jean, Angel and Iceman (human) are in attendance, looking towards a speakerphone on a table.

"If that's so, why didn't he tell us?" Jean asks, surprised.

"He may feel we're not ready to hear the full truth just yet. In the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force was very heavily outnumbered by the German Luftwaffe. I doubt each man flying for Britain truly comprehended the enormity of the odds against him. Yet, after three months of fighting, the RAF handed Hitler his first major defeat of world War Two. It was of this battle Churchill said, 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.'"

"Man, where do you get all this stuff from?" Iceman said, as he chuckled.

"Churchill also said, 'It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.' "

"Where's Professor Xavier now?" Cyclops asked, trying to stay on topic.

**NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT, OFFICE - NIGHT**

Beast, still on the phone, looks towards the closed door.

"In the other room here. He's gone into some sort of deep, psionic trance."

"What?" Cyclops asks, confused.

"As far as I can tell, he's reaching out across the entire city with his mind... sorting through the millions of states of consciousness around us..."

**NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - DAY**

Xavier faces windows overlooking the city. He's motionless, Zen-like. His eyes are rolled up and bloodshot. Rather frightening.

"He's calling out the Brotherhood leader."

**LOGAN'S LIVING QUARTERS, BALCONY - NIGHT**

The balcony overlooks a lovely garden. Logan is on a bench, looking at his shoebox of photos. He senses someone coming and puts the pictures away. Across the room, Jean enters, knocking as she opens the door.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Logan nods. Jean comes to stand on the balcony with him.

"I've been thinking about you."

"Yeah? With or without clothing?" He smirks.

"Give it a rest for once, Logan. A little of that garbage goes a long way."

"Alright. What's up?"

"If I ask you a straight question, will you answer honestly?"

"Depends what the question is. Try me."

"Why are you still alive?"

"Want to run that by me again?" Logan stares at her, puzzled by the question.

"If the records Professor Xavier dug up from Department H are anywhere near accurate, you've been shot at least a hundred and twenty times in the line of duty. You've been stabbed over sixty times. You've been bludgeoned, burned... you even went over Niagara Falls. Yet there you sit, alive and well. But, what keeps you going? It can't all be because of your healing factor. Not all of it. To survive what you have, it would take this unbelievable rage to live."

"What are you getting at?"

"Well, like I said, I've been thinking about you, and there's something I don't get. I mean, what in the world could you possibly be living for? You don't care about anyone, and it's pretty clear you loath yourself. Most people have someone they care about. So, I wonder, what does Logan look forward to? Does he look forward to the next time he has the pleasure of digging his claws into someone? Is he just, in his heart of hearts, breathlessly anticipating his next victim's last gasp? Is that enough? It couldn't be... but, what else is there for him?"

Logan's getting a sour stomach. He walks into his room and puts the shoebox on his desk. Jean's not enjoying this anymore.

"Oh my, did I hurt your feelings?"

"Maybe you better leave." He says, the anger easily heard in his voice.

"It's interesting... I was about to say the same thing to you."

Logan stares down at the shoebox. He looks to Jean.

"You asked. Do you really want to know?" He pauses, and waits. Jean nods. Logan comes back, sits facing her.

"I'm here, sitting with you. Right? Okay. Before that, I worked for Department H a bunch of years, and just before that I was living in a forest in Canada, running around, killing and eating and howling at the moon. That's as far back as my memory goes, and its got some pretty rough edges as is. So, while you might have a recollection of some freckled faced brat pulling your pigtails in kindergarten, or the first time you rode a bike without training wheels, I have these..." He opens the box of photos.

"I've had them every single day of what little of my life I remember. I don't even know if they belong to me. There's not a single picture in here that has me in it, or that means anything when I look at it. But still... is this my mother? Is this my father, or my brother? And, that's the whole other thing. With my healing and all, it's a good bet I don't age too fast. So, I could be thirty years old, or a hundred, in which case my past is ancient history."

"Why are some of the corners bent?"

"Those are ones where I looked for that person, or went to that place. I ain't found nothing yet, but someday one of these pictures is going to tell me who I am. Other than that... I don't do a whole lot of looking forward."

**X-MANSION, LIVING QUARTERS HALLWAY - NIGHT**

**Cyclops comes down the hall, notices Logan's door ajar. He stops, looking in. Ahead, he sees Logan and Jean on the balcony together, facing away, talking. Cyclops is a bit bothered by this. After a moment, he backs off, and then walks away.  
><strong>


	15. Betrayal

**NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - MORNING**

Dawn light falls on a certain blue furred Beast, who is asleep on a couch. Xavier still sits motionless. Then, he releases from the trance with a gasp. The nearby device, comes to life, flashing and beeping.

"Henry... wake up. Wake up." Beast sits up, awakening as Xavier wheels over to the windows and throws them open. Xavier looks down to the empty streets.

"He's here. He's very close."

**NEW YORK APARTMENT BUILDING, FIRE ESCAPE - MORNING**

Beast comes out a window to the fire escape, leaps up and climbs. Higher up and not far away, on a nearby building, Magneto watches as Beast climbs the fire escape and springs onto the opposite rooftop. Beast looks around. He notices something at the roof-access door, walks... Beast sees, in raised letters on the metal surface of the roof door: "CENTRAL PARK. THE POND. WEST END. 11:00pm TOMORROW."

Beast looks to surrounding buildings. No one in sight. Magneto's gone.

**CENTRAL PARK, THE POND - NIGHT**

The park is peaceful. Beast, in overcoat garb, crouches by the pond, makes quacking sounds to the ducks on the water. Away from Beast, on a path across the lawn, Xavier sits in his wheelchair, looking out into the park, waiting, pensive. At the pond's edge, the ducks are suddenly frightened, flying away in a group, quacking loudly. Beast watches them, curious, stands and looks around. Suddenly, **THWAP**! a DART slams Beast's chest. Beast twists, roaring in pain. Xavier looks towards Beast, engines are heard coming to life.

Three Range Rovers, in camo paint, burst from the surrounding wooded areas, tearing across the lawn. Xavier wheels towards Beast.

"Henry!" Xavier's moving quickly. **THUNK**! A drug dart hits him in the shoulder. Xavier grips the dart, cringes as his wheelchair jerks to one side. The chair topples, throws Xavier. Beast is pinned down by headlights as the Range Rovers slide to a halt. Heavily armed, military troopers leap from the vehicles. Gyrich, in protective medical garb (surgical mask and rubber gloves) is amongst them. Beast turns, snarling.

"He's still standing, boys!" He yells. Troopers level a huge barreled weapon at Beast.

"Fire in the hole!" **POOT! POOT!**

The weapon fires two mega taser contacts trailing wire. They hit Beast. He roars as the charge races through him. Xavier's trying to crawl towards the attack, losing consciousness. Gyrich watches as Beast tries to pull the tasers out.

"Hit him again! Gyrich calls. They fire again. Beast tries to get up, tries to run, but he falls forward, out cold. Troopers immediately gather to lift him, carrying him to one Range Rover. The Sharpshooter runs to Xavier's body. Xavier's unconscious. Sharpshooter pulls and pockets the dart, whistles. Across the lawn, Gyrich looks, then runs towards Sharpshooter.

"Who's Kojak here?" A unnamed trooper asks. Gyrich arrives, eyes Xavier. Shakes his head.

"Do we take him?"

"What good's a cripple do us? Leave him where he lays. Let's go."**  
><strong>


	16. An Offer You Can't Refuse

**NEW YORK CITY STREETS/EDGE OF CENTRAL PARK - NIGHT**

The Range Rovers move in tandem from the park to New York streets,taking the turns with smoking, screeching tires.

**CENTRAL PARK, THE POND - NIGHT**

Xavier lays unconscious, not far from his fallen wheelchair. A shadow falls across him. It's Magneto.

"Xavier... my dear fellow. What have you gotten yourself into?" Magneto goes to Xavier, bows and lifts him into his arms, gently as possible.

**STATUE OF LIBERTY - NIGHT**

Xavier's starting to come around. He sits up, sees his wheelchair nearby, looks around and realizes he's lying atop the Statue Of Liberty, with the mighty, torch-bearing arm above.

Magneto stands nearby, looking to Manhattan's distant skyline.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Eric! What have you done with Beast?" Magneto turns as Xavier pulls himself into his wheelchair.

"Not me. The government took him. Though, I did help them along with an anonymous call to the National Security Council."

"If they harm him in any way, I swear..."

"What? What do you swear? You should be grateful. I spared your life. I'm sparing it with each passing second, and I could take it with a wave of my hand."

"And, with a thought, I could destroy your mind. My abilities are stronger now than they used to be."

He smiles, and continues. "A stalemate, then... of mutual assured destruction."

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"I suppose I don't really want you dead, Charles. I want you with me, at my side... like the good old days. The offer I make to you this evening is the offer I will soon make to the world..." He turns and faces New York City.

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled mutants yearning to breath free."

He faces Xavier again.

"There's a place for you in the Brotherhood, and for your X-Men."

"We want no part of wholesale slaughter, or of your desire to see homo-sapiens enslaved by homo-superior."

"You still dream of co-existence, don't you? You still think man and mutant can live together."

"I do."

"The battle you've chosen has left great men dead in it's wake."

"That doesn't mean it's not worth fighting."

"Oh, you amaze me. Look at all the killing and "ethnic cleansing" going on in this world. Look at what has happened to Beast. Man's inhumanity to man is ageless and timeless. If the Congress had their way... the great leaders of this nation, they'd have you in chains, with a number burned into your forehead."

"But, they won't have their way." He says confidently.

"If not for me, they would."

"No. Their hatred comes from fear, and you feed that fear. By the assassination of a United States Senator, by acts of random terrorism, you're only widening the rift." Xaiver says, angered by Magneto's acts.

"By the time I'm done, that rift will be a gaping chasm."

"Then, what good are you doing? Why not join with me to help heal this bigotry, instead of adding to it?"

"Because, if you want to be heard in a room full of people screaming at the top of their lungs, you have to be the one who screams the loudest and the longest. You have to roar into the maelstrom." He pauses, probably adding for dramatic effect.

"I'd love to share my plans with you. I once thought of you as my only friend. I give you one last chance to join me, because against me, you will never win."

"We're ready for you."

"You wear your brave face well. Pity it will soon turn to a mask of sorrow." Magneto climbs and walks out onto one of the crown's points.

"One last thing, Charles. I know you have him. Your animal pet, with his big sharp claws. He will not save you." Magneto holds up his arms, fingers spread. The air crackles as a ball of magnetic energy forms around him. He rises into the dark. Xavier watches Magneto go, then looks around. He realizes his immediate dilemma, wheeling to look towards the ground far below. He turns and sees a trap door behind him.

**STATUE OF LIBERTY'S CROWN - NIGHT**

The trap door opens above a ladder. Xavier pushes his folded wheelchair through and drops it to the ground. He shifts his body, using upper body strength and his arms, lowering his legs. He gets a grip on the edge and swings down with a grunt, hanging on, legs dangling. He grasps the ladder and starts down.


	17. Leadership Fight and Votes

**X-MANSION, KITCHEN - DAY**

Logan enters, in a foul mood. He pulls off his cut, leather jacket and throws it in the kitchen sink, then goes to the refrigerator and pulls out a six-pack. He plops down at the table with his feet up as Cyclops enters, also angry.

"You got a problem, Logan?"

"Not anymore I don't." Logan pops the beer and guzzles it. Jean enters, watches with concern as Cyclops gets in Logan's face.

"You want to be the lone wolf... you stop breathing... no great loss. All I care is you're letting down the rest of the team."

"Hey, you can jump around all day in that Romper-Room world of yours it don't mean squat compared to fighting flesh and blood. I'm sick of playing games."

"You're pissed because you screwed up down there, and you know it. What was it you said about taking it like a man?"

"Scott... come on. Let him stew." Jean says, pulling Scott away from the threat of Logan's claws.

"Chrimany, Jean, what do you see in this nebbish? What'd he do to deserve you?"

"Let it go." She orders. Cyclops finally relents, and he heads for the door.

"You're whipped." Cyclops turns back, kicks the table, knocking Logan over. Logan hits the floor, just stays on his back, deceptively calm.

"You just earned some big time lumps, bub."

**X-MANSION, FRONT DRIVE AND LAWN - NIGHT**

Logan and Cyclops cross the lawn, throwing off body armor. On the porch, Jean watches, disgusted. Iceman rushes past, ready to watch the fight.

"This I got to see."

"Idiots. Macho idiots." She storms into the mansion, slams the front door.

Cyclops and Logan face each other. Cyclops looks to Iceman.

"This is me and him, Bobby, man to man. You stay out of it."

"No kidding."

"You mean mutant to mutant."

"No. No powers. No claws. No visor." Logan nods, spits in his palms, balls up his fists. In the air above, Angel swoops down to land on the mansion's roof.

"This should be good." Angels says, and watches eagerly.

Cyclops swings first, misses, gets punched. He backs off, taking his time. He fakes, then swings, and hits Logan hard. Logan shakes off the blow, smiles in admiration. Iceman circles the fight, watches as Logan and Cyclops go at it, playing for keeps. Logan doubles Cyclops over, grabs him and throws him. Cyclops knocks over a lawn statue.

"You're out of your league." He says confident as ever. Cyclops, bleeding out the nose, gets up and approaches for more. Iceman keeps circling as more blows are exchanged. Major fisty-cuffs.

_"Iceman!" _Iceman turns, to the sound of the voice in his head. Down the drive, Xavier sits in his wheelchair, suitcase nearby, angered at the show on the lawn. Xavier points at the fight. Iceman looks at Logan and Cyclops, then back to Xavier.

_"_You sure about that?" Xavier nods. Iceman shrugs, as his body his covered in solid ice and turns to face the fight. Logan and Cyclops are still slugging it out. Iceman opens his hands towards them. Logan swings at Cyclops, but Cyclops is suddenly encased in a block of ice. Logan connects with the block. He backs off, yelping in pain, holding his fist. He looks to Iceman.

"What the... ?" Logan is then instantly incased in ice, solid as a rock.

"Sorry, guys." The ice block containing Cyclops teeters and falls, knocking the Logan ice block over. They hit the ground with a **THUD!**

**X-MANSION, THE WAR ROOM - NIGHT**

Xavier sits with monitors behind and a keyboard to his left.

"His name is Eric Magnus Lehnsherr. He has an ability to control and manipulate magnetic energy. I knew him during a time I spent wandering from country to country, working in hospitals and psychiatric facilities... wherever they would accept my help. I first met Magnus in Haifa, Israel. He was a foreign aid volunteer."

Cyclops and Logan are in blankets, beside Jean, Iceman and Angel. Xavier punches up grainy photos of Magneto on the monitors.

"Our paths crossed many times after that, and we often traveled together, a two man amnesty force of sorts. We both know we were different from others, without ever speaking it. The only times we discussed human evolutionary mutation were to debate its effects on future history. Magnus believed that as the Homo Superior grew in number... ... their only hope for survival would be to take dominion over man, and he now seems to be making his second attempt to achieve that goal."

"His second?" Jean asks the question plaguing the group.

"A long time ago, we worked in a small clinic behind the Iron Curtain. One evening, two badly wounded teenagers were brought in. Nothing could be done to save them. We later learned that these two, a boy and girl, had been dragged from their home and beaten by an angry mob. Because they were mutants. Because they shared telepathy. Magnus decided to avenge them, and would not be dissuaded." He sits, thinking in silence.

"The town we were in was called Chernobyl." Xavier punches a button. On the monitors behind him, many images from the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster with news footage of the ruined reactor. Of the evacuation. Of radiation suit clad workers.

"This was the result. The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. April 26, 1986. The first time Magnus and I truly revealed our powers to each other... against each other. I know I've told you differently before, but it was during this fight that I lost the use of my legs. Xavier faces the screen, with images of workers shoveling irradiated materials.

The X-Men are solemn. Even Logan is silent.

"I blacked out from the pain, and woke up in a hospital far away from this. I can only guess at Magnus' regret, because the assault had ended before a meltdown. But still, more than six hundred thousand people received high doses of radiation, almost half of them children.

"And, now he has his sights set on New York City." Xavier nods to Cyclops, and wheels to pick up the antennae device off a table.

"This sensor array can read the fluctuations in the magnetic spectrum which surround Magnus at all times. With luck I'll have it adapted to visual mode by this evening. It will be your job to use it over Manhattan, Angel, under cover of darkness. You are the best chance we have of locating the Brotherhood." Angel nods, glad to be back in the action.

"What about Beast?" Iceman asks.

"If the government has him hidden away, a search party won't do much good. For all we know, they've taken him out of state." Cyclops looks to Xavier as he finishes.

"I'll begin a psychic search as soon as possible, once I've fully recovered from the strain of finding Magnus. Other than that... I don't know what we can do."

"Okay, look. With Beast missing in action, you want to get big-time serious, right? So, I feel like I got to say, if we're going to have a fighting chance against these guys, we need a new team leader. Cause Cyclops ain't cutting it." He looks to Cyclops.

"No offense. It's just the truth."

"I suppose you think you're born to lead?"

"You got it, mono-brow."

"Enough! Haven't either of you heard a word I've said? Why must you insist on this inane competition?"

"Maybe I'm not the only one here on the "Island of Misfit Toys" who feels like Cyclops is dropping the ball. But even if I am, it can't hurt to have a vote." Cyclops finds this ludicrous. Xavier rubs his eyes, weary.

Logan continues. "One man, one ballot. Let the democracy decide. That's all I'm asking."

"Very well... you'll have your vote."

"What?" Cyclops says, shocked at the prospect.

"It's the only equitable way. I want each of you to consider this carefully, alone. It's important you not discuss it. We will meet in the West Wing in two hours." Logan's pleased. The X-Men file out, but Cyclops stands and remains. Jean waits by the door.

"What's going on, Professor? Are you having your own doubts about me now?" Cyclops asks, wanting answers.

"We'll speak afterwards." Xavier refuses to look up. Cyclops exits. Xavier looks up, grim.

**X-MANSION, JEAN GREY'S LIVING QUARTERS - DAY**

Jean enters. She's startled to see Logan in a chair.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Visiting."

"Get out, Logan. You heard what Professor Xavier said."

"Yeah, I heard. But, when else do I get a chance to talk to you without Cyclops hanging around, or you around him?" Logan crosses and stands close. Jean backs away a little.

"Just, leave."

"Why? You still afraid?"

"What do you want from me?"

"Show me you're not afraid. Why do you keep backing away?" He steps close. This time she doesn't back off, looking at him.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"I'm glad." Logan leans in, pauses. He kisses her. She closes her eyes, upset, but responding just slightly. She keeps her eyes closed.

"I... I don't want this."

"Can't help that." He backs off, preparing to leave. "Far as I'm concerned, you're deciding on more than just team leader today."

**X-MANSION, DINING ROOM - DAY**

"Logan" is written on a small piece of paper. Logan puts the pencil down and folds the paper. He's voted for himself. Xavier sits at the head. The mood is somber. Iceman, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Angel and Logan pass a box, putting their folded votes inside. The box returns to Xavier. He begins the counting:

"One ballot for Cyclops. One ballot for Logan." Cyclops is sullen. Xavier takes out a third vote, and unfolds it. "Another vote for Cyclops." Xavier unfolds the forth, pauses for the briefest moment.

"Another for Logan." Logan looks to Jean. She shows no emotion.

"So... this will break the tie." He stops, opens it and reads. "It's for Cyclops. He remains team leader." Cyclops gets up and walks out, no happier. Iceman gets up to leave and Angel follows along with him.

"Well, wasn't that a cheery affair? I'm so glad I could be here. Thanks everyone." Iceman laughs, and walks out.

"I hope you had a good reason for putting Scott through that, Professor." Angel says, as he follows Iceman.

"I expect you to abide by this decision, Logan." Xavier wheels to leave. Jean and Logan are left alone.

"Well, you lose some, and you win some."

"I didn't vote for you." Logan seems surprised. Jean pushes her chair back and stands.

"This here... this didn't even have anything to do with the fact that I love Scott. But, I do love him. I care about you. But, I love him."

"Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself."

"You're wrong." She leaves. Logan looks around, depressed. He looks at the ballot papers near him on the table. He blows them off the table, and the silently float to the ground.

**X-MANSION GROUNDS - DAY**

Cyclops walks, brooding. Xavier wheels along beside him.

"I feel quite safe making the assumption that Logan cast his own ballot with his name on it. But, the second vote for Logan... that surprised me. Especially since it was you who cast it."

Cyclops stops.

"It didn't surprise you at all, did it?" He asks.

"The moment Angel locates the Brotherhood, you take the X-Men into battle. You must believe in yourself as much as they do."

"I'm trying, sir. Sometimes I feel the only reason I'm team leader is because I was your first student."

"We all live with doubt, Scott. How do you think I feel about Henry? I tried to reach him psionicly, but I failed. All my wondrous powers and abilities... I still can't help him."

"But, there wasn't anything you could have done to stop them from taking him either. It wasn't your fault."

"Yes. And, so I've tried to convince myself. And I forge on. And so must you."**  
><strong>


	18. Its Poll Time! :D

**Its Poll Time! :D**

I need some help in deciding what to do next! :( Be glad I'm still writing! Answer what I should work on next! Vote for up to 3 choices, and I'll do the first three in the order of which gets the most votes. so VOTE!


	19. Torture and Price

**I'll try to update this story more often, OK? Just, things are changing around here faster than I like. A very good friend died in a car crash, and its summer. So Surfing + Swim team from 7 AM to 8 AM+ School = Less Writing Time.**

**So enjoy this shorty!**

**SKY ABOVE NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT**

Over the busy brightness of NYC's boroughs, Angels soars. He wears an unwieldy visor, equipped with night-vision attached by cables to the adapted antennaed device strapped to his chest. Angel glides onwards, flaps his majestic wings. The antennaed device begins giving off a low beeping. Angel reacts, adjusts a knob on the visor as he looks down, searching.

**JUNK YARD - NIGHT** A pile of crushed, junk yard cars. Loud noises, obviously machinery can be heard rumbling.. Angel slowly climbs up to peer over, and takes off the visor. Before him, a giant crane with a giant electric magnet is being used to stack and lift other ruined cars in the yard. Angel looks disappointed. He leaps up and flies away.

**BROOKLYN NAVY YARD, THE COMPOUND - NIGHT**

Angel gains altitude, heading towards Manhattan, oblivious to the fact he's practically passing over Gyrich's H.Q., the Compound.

**THE COMPOUND, TORTURE ROOM - NIGHT UNDERWATER**

Beast is wrapped in metal chains with lead weights connected to them. Chains bind his arms behind him and hold his legs as he holds his breath and struggles desperately against the bonds.

**IN THE TORTURE ROOM**

A Torturer turns a giant wheel, pulling Beast up from a tank of murky water built into the floor. Beast gasps for breath. Gyrich, dressed in full medical garb, as if a mutation is a contagious disease, and Trask stands nearby.

"Once more... where are the X-Men?" Gyrich demands.

"The way you're treating me... you honestly think we're still on speaking terms?" Beast replies.

"If you don't want to answer, I could come back after you've had a few hours of this."

"Look... if I tell you where the X-Men are, it's like I'm doing you a favor. At this particular juncture I just don't feel you've earned it. Now, sit me down in front of a nice dinner, a bottle of wine... then we'll talk. Know what I mean? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." Gyrich sighs in frustration, waves for Trask to step up.

"Actually, could you scratch my back while you're down there... ouch!" Trask injects a hypodermic into Beast's thigh, drawing blood.

"You're very entertaining, monkey man. Wise cracking and sailing. It's cute. Start keeping him under for three minutes." He says to the Touterer, and they walk to leave. Beast suddenly looks fearful.

"Okay... wait. Hold on..."

"You have something to say?" Gyrich says, hopeful.

"Yes, um... could I get a glass of water?" Gyrich and Trask exit, disgusted. Beast turns serious, angry.

Beast turns to the Torturer. "Hey ugly... I want you to think about something. Do you hurt me because you hate me, or do you hate me because you hurt me?"

"Shut your mouth, mutie." Torturer releases the wheel and Beast splashes down again.

**THE COMPOUND - NIGHT**

Gyrich and Trask walk a catwalk high up in the Compound.

"He's not going to betray his friends."

Gyrich answers, confident. "Let me worry about that. I'll dig up more guinea pigs. You just get started on that blood work."

"You do realize, it doesn't matter how many X-Men we get... the odds of finding the malformations in their genetic structures are still a billion to one."

"No, no, no. Don't try haggling with a mouthful of scientific hoop-de-do. Your price is set and non-negotiable."

"I'm only trying to say..."

"No, no. You get a hundred thousand for every mutant you create. Make Uncle Sam an army of mutant super-soldiers, he'll make you a millionaire. End of story."**  
><strong>


	20. Note

**Woah. **

**Has it really been half a year or more?**

**Oops. **

**I don't think this will be finished, but I won't delete it. **


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